Sample records for water in concrete

This report gives a survey of different techniques for incorporation of designed, water-filled cavities inconcrete: Water entrainment. Also an estimate of the optimum size of the water inclusions is given. Water entrainment can be used to avoid self-desiccation and self-desiccation shrinkage...... during hydration [1,26]. What is needed is some sort of container which retains the shape of the water when mixed into the concrete. The container may function based on several different physical or chemical principles. Cells and gels are examples of containers found in nature. A cell membrane provides...... a boundary to water, whereas a polymer network incorporates waterin its intersticious space with its affinity due to interaction energy and polymer entropy. Such containers allow water to be stored as an entity. In relation to concrete the water encapsulation may be accomplished either before or after start...

Concrete is the most widely used engineering material in the world and one of the largest water consuming industries. Consequently, the concrete manufacturer, ready mixed concrete plant is increased dramatically due to high demand from urban development project. At the same time, slurry water was generated and leading to environmental problems. Thus, this paper is to investigate the effect of using slurry water on concrete properties in term of mechanical properties. The basic wastewater characterization was investigated according to USEPA (Method 150.1 & 300.0) while the mechanical property of concrete with slurry water was compared according to ASTM C1602 and BS EN 1008 standards. In this research, the compressive strength, modulus of elasticity and tensile strength were studied. The percentage of wastewater replaced inconcrete mixing was ranging from 0% up to 50%. In addition, the resulted also suggested that the concrete with 20% replacement of slurry water was achieved the highest compressive strength and modulus of elasticity compared to other percentages. Moreover, the results also recommended that concrete with slurry water mix have better compressive strength compared to control mix concrete.

This paper summarizes an engineering experience of solving the problem of thermal cracking in mass concrete by using a large project, Zhongguancun No.1 (Beijing, China), as an example. A new method is presented for controlling temperature cracks in the mass concrete of a foundation. The method involves controlled cycles of water circulating between the surface of mass concrete foundation and the atmospheric environment. The temperature gradient between the surface and the core of the mass con...

This paper gives an overview of different techniques for incorporation of internal curing waterinconcrete. Internal curing can be used to mitigate self-desiccation and self-desiccation shrinkage. Some concretes may need 50 kg/m3 of internal curing water for this purpose. The price of the internal...

Full Text Available This paper summarizes an engineering experience of solving the problem of thermal cracking in mass concrete by using a large project, Zhongguancun No.1 (Beijing, China, as an example. A new method is presented for controlling temperature cracks in the mass concrete of a foundation. The method involves controlled cycles of water circulating between the surface of mass concrete foundation and the atmospheric environment. The temperature gradient between the surface and the core of the mass concrete is controlled at a relatively stable state. Water collected from the well-points used for dewatering and from rainfall is used as the source for circulating water. Mass concrete of a foundation slab is experimentally investigated through field temperature monitoring. Numerical analyses are performed by developing a finite element model of the foundation with and without water circulation. The calculation parameters are proposed based on the experiment, and finite element analysis software MIDAS/CIVIL is used to calculate the 3D temperature field of the mass concrete during the entire process of heat of hydration. The numerical results are in good agreement with the measured results. The proposed method provides an alternative practical basis for preventing thermal cracks in mass concrete.

High pressure water jet technology is an unconventional concrete crushing technology. In order to reveal the mechanism of high pressure water jet impacting concrete, it built a three-dimensional numerical model of high pressure water jet impacting concrete based on fluid mechanics and damage mechanics. And the numerical model was verified by theoretical analysis and experiments. Based on this model, it studied the stress characteristics inconcrete under high pressure water jet impacting at different time, and quantified the damage evolution rules inconcrete along the water jet radial direction. The results can provide theoretical basis and guidance for the high pressure water jet crushing concrete technology.

Full Text Available The high demand for concrete production generates wastewater which causes environmental problems. However, if wastewater is able to be recycled as part of engineering construction materials, many benefits can be reaped. Unfortunately, the use of wastewater in manufacturing concrete is not common. Therefore, this research aims to identify the influence of using slurry water and car wash wastewater on concrete properties, focusing particularly on its mechanical properties. The basic characteristics of wastewater were studied according to USEPA method while the properties of concrete with wastewater were compared according to ASTM C1602 and BS EN 1008 standards. In this paper, the compressive strength, modulus of elasticity and tensile strength were examined in order to determine the mechanical properties of concrete. The wastewater was replaced in the concrete mix from 0% up to 40%. The results indicated that the characteristics of wastewater complied with the BS and ASTM standards. In addition, the results also recommended that the concrete mixture with 20% of wastewater has given the highest compressive strength and modulus of elasticity.

Portland cement reacts with water to form an amorphous paste through a chemical reaction called hydration. Inconcrete the formation of pastes causes the mix to harden and gain strength to form a rock-like mass. Within this process lies the key to a remarkable peculiarity of concrete: it is plastic and soft when newly mixed, strong and durable when hardened. These qualities explain why one material, concrete, can build skyscrapers, bridges, sidewalks and superhighways, houses, and dams. The character of the concrete is determined by the quality of the paste. Creep and shrinkage of concrete specimens occur during the loss and gain of water from cement paste. To better understand the role of waterin mature concrete, a series of quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) experiments were carried out on cement pastes with water/cement ratio varying between 0.32 and 0.6. The samples were cured for about 28 days in sealed containers so that the initial water content would not change. These experiments were carried out with an actual sample of Portland cement rather than with the components of cement studied by other workers. The QENS spectra differentiated between three different water interactions: water that was chemically bound into the cement paste, the physically bound or "glassy water" that interacted with the surface of the gel pores in the paste, and unbound water molecules that are confined within the larger capillary pores of cement paste. The dynamics of the "glassy" and "unboud" waterin an extended time scale, from a hundred picoseconds to a few nanoseconds, could be clearly differentiated from the data. While the observed motions on the picosecond time scale are mainly stochastic reorientations of the water molecules, the dynamics observed on the nanosecond range can be attributed to long-range diffusion. Diffusive motion was characterized by diffusion constants in the range of (0.6-2) 10(-9) m(2)/s, with significant reduction compared to the rate of diffusion

Pa (～8 atm.) is 12 times greater than at 100 kPa (～1 atm.). For w/c = 0.45 and w/c = 0.55 the chloride diffusion coefficients are 7 and 3 times greater. This means that a change in pressure highly influences the chloride ingress into the concrete and thereby the life length models for concrete structures.......The chloride ingress into concrete under water pressures of 100 kPa and 800 kPa have been investigated by experiments. The specimens were exposed to a 10% NaCl solution and water mixture. For the concrete having w/c = 0.35 the experimental results show the chloride diffusion coefficient at 800 k...

Full Text Available Corrosion behavior of steel bar in fly ash- and kaolin-based geopolymer concrete immersed in aggressive media of distilled water and ASTM seawater was compared to Portland cement concrete having similar mix design. An accelerated corrosion by applying 3 V potential on the steel bar was performed to obtain reasonable test results in a relatively short time. The potential and pH of the immersing media were measured from day 1 to day 10 and then plotted on Pourbaix diagram to predict passivation or corrosion state. At day 10, steel bar in Portland cement concrete were in corroded state both in distilled water and seawater. The best corrosion performance was for kaolin- based geopolymer concretein which at day-10 the steel bar was passivated in both media. Steel bar in fly ash- based geopolymer concrete was passivated in distilled water but corroded in seawater.

Neutron irradiation exposure causes aggregate expansion, namely radiation-induced volumetric expansion (RIVE). The structural significance of RIVE on a portion of a prototypical pressurized water reactor (PWR) concrete biological shield (CBS) is investigated by using a meso- scale nonlinear concrete model with inputs from an irradiation transport code and a coupled moisture transport-heat transfer code. RIVE-induced severe cracking onset appears to be triggered by the ini- tial shrinkage-induced cracking and propagates to a depth of > 10 cm at extended operation of 80 years. Relaxation of the cement paste stresses results in delaying the crack propagation by about 10 years.

The chloride ingress into concrete under water pressures of 100 kPa and 800 kPa have been investigated by experiments. The specimens were exposed to a 10% NaCl solution and water mixture. For the concrete having w/c = 0.35 the experimental results show the chloride diffusion coefficient at 800 kPa (～8 atm.) is 12 times greater than at 100 kPa (～1 atm.). For w/c = 0.45 and w/c = 0.55 the chloride diffusion coefficients are 7 and 3 times greater. This means that a change in pressure highly infl...

The possibility of using a boiling water reactor in a prestressed reinforced concrete vessel for an atomic central heating-and-power plant (CHPP) was considered, with design features of the reactor intended for a two-purpose plant. A prestressed reinforced concrete vessel and integral arrangement of the primary circuit ensured reliability of the atomic CHPP using various CHPP flowsheets.

Desiccation of concrete before or during setting may lead to detrimental plastic shrinkage cracking in the concrete surface zone. Cracking due to plastic shrinkage is a major technological problem for any concrete, however, modern high-performance concretes are especially susceptible to this. Thi...

The gas pressure of concrete samples was measured in an unsteady-state equipment working under low injection pressures and in a newly fine tuned steady-state setup working under different pressures. These measurements allowed the estimation of the intrinsic and relative gas permeability of the concrete and of the effect of boundary conditions on them. Permeability decreased with water content, but it was also greatly affected by the hydraulic history of concrete, i.e. if it had been previously dried or wetted. In particular, and for a given degree of saturation, the gas permeability of concrete previously saturated was lower than if the concrete had been just air dried or saturated after air drying. In any case, the gas permeability was about two orders of magnitude higher than the liquid water permeability (10-16 vs. 10-18 m2), probably due to the chemical reactions taking place during saturation (carbonation). The relative gas permeability of concrete increased sharply for water degrees of saturation smaller than 50%. The boundary conditions also affected the gas permeability, which seemed to be mostly conditioned by the back pressure and the confining pressure, increasing as the former increased and decreasing as the latter increased, i.e. decreasing as the effective pressure increased. Overall the increase of pressure head or injection pressure implied a decrease in gas permeability. External,microcracking during air-drying could not be ruled out as responsible for the decrease of permeability with confining pressure. The apparent permeability obtained applying the Klinkenberg method for a given effective pressure was only slightly smaller than the average of all the values measured for the same confining pressure range. For this reason it is considered that the Klinkenberg effect was not relevant in the range of pressures applied. (Author) 37 refs.

Full Text Available Cold joint inconcrete due to delayed concrete placing may cause a reduced shear resistance and increased water permeation. This study presents an analytical model based on the concept of REV (Representative Element Volume to assess the effect of water permeability in cold joint concrete. Here, OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement concrete samples with cold joint are prepared and WPT (Water Permeability Test is performed on the samples cured for 91 days. In order to account for the effect of GGBFS (Granulated Ground Blast Furnace Slag on water permeability, concrete samples with the same W/B (Water to Binder ratio and 40% replacement ratio of GGBFS are tested as well. Utilizing the previous models handling porosity and saturation, the analysis technique for equivalent water permeability with effective cold joint width is proposed. Water permeability in cold joint increases to 140.7% in control case but it decreases to 120.7% through GGBFS replacement. Simulation results agree reasonably well with experimental data gathered for sound and cold joint concrete.

This paper gives an overview of different techniques for incorporation of internal curing waterinconcrete. Internal water curing can be used to mitigate self-desiccation and selfdesiccation shrinkage. Some concretes may need 50 kg/m3 of internal curing water for this purpose. The price of the i...

Service life and durability of reinforced concrete structures have become a crucial issue because of the economical and ecological implications. Service life of reinforced concrete structures is often limited by penetration of water and chemical compounds dissolved inwater into the porous cement-based material. By now it is well-known that cracks in reinforced concrete are preferential paths for ingress of aggressive substances. Neutron radiography was successfully applied to study the process of water penetration into cracked steel reinforced concrete. In addition, the effectiveness of integral water repellent concrete to prevent ingress of water and salt solutions was investigated. Results are described in detail in this contribution. It will be shown that neutron radiography is a powerful method to visualize the process of water penetration into cracked and uncracked cement-based materials. On the basis of the obtained experimental data, it is possible to quantify the time-dependent water distributions inconcrete with high accuracy and spatial resolution. It is of particular interest that penetration of water and salt solutions into damaged interfaces between concrete and steel can be visualized by means of neutron radiography. Deteriorating processes in cracked reinforced concrete structures can be studied in a completely new way. This advanced technology will help and find adequate ways to improve durability and service life of reinforced concrete structures. This will mean at the same time an essential contribution to improved sustainability.

Full Text Available The presented paper deals with an experimental study of the efficiency of surface coating treatment based on secondary crystallization as an additional protection of the subsurface concrete structure loaded by moisture or ground water pressure. The aim of the experimental program was the evaluation of the depth impact of the crystalline coating and the assessment of the reliability of construction joints performed on models simulating real conditions of the concrete structure. The evolution of the secondary crystallizing process was monitored using the water absorption test carried out at different depths of the samples. The coefficient of adsorption decreased to 60% of the reference mixture for a surface layer of up to 40 mm at 28 days and to 50% at 180 days after the coating’s application. Furthermore, the electrical resistivity method was applied with respect to the nature of measurement and the low accessibility of real subsurface concrete structures. The results of moisture measurement at a depth of 180–190 mm from the surface treated with a crystalline coating showed an essential decrease in moisture content percentage in comparison with untreated specimens (measured 125 days after the coating’s application.

Concrete and other cementitious materials will be used for different purposes in the underground repositories for radioactive waste in the form of spent fuel according to the Swedish concept. Cementitious materials are fundamentally unstable inwater and will change properties with time. Thus it is important to know the long-term interaction between the cement-based materials, groundwater and the other materials in the repository that are important for the safety. This report concerns a study of diffusion controlled dissolution of mortar in a case study. In 1906 a water tank was installed in one of the towers in the castle of Uppsala, Sweden. A 20 mm thick layer of concrete mortar was placed on the inner walls of a steel canister which comprised the water tank. It was demolished in 1991 and pieces of the mortar were taken for analysis. The water tank has been refilled periodically with fresh water, which means that the mortar has been leached by drinking water for nearly 85 years. As the steel hinders the penetration of water, diffusion processes must have controlled the leaching. The concrete has been investigated by several methods including thin sections in a polarising microscope, SEM, SEM-EDS, image analysis and chemical analysis. The result shows that the mortar is covered by a thin shell of carbonates presumably reaction products between the cement paste and bicarbonates from the water. Behind the carbonated surface to a depth of around 5-8 mm the mortar shows a distinct porous zone decreasing calcium contents. At the same time there is a relative increase in the sulphate, aluminium and iron concentrations. This indicates that the leaching is fairly complicated and linked to a recrystallisation and redistribution of element. Behind this depth the paste is dense and has a fairly normal composition except for a slight calcium depletion. The SEM analysis shows that there is no distinct portlandite (calcium hydroxide crystals) depletion front. Portlandite is

Results of research of the coal water suspension (CWS) from a cake received in the electrodigit ways in the fluid environment and gas are given in article and also the possibilities of its use as the modifying additive inconcrete are considered. Use of a coal cake is perspective as it is a withdrawal of the coal and concentrating enterprises and has extremely low cost. Methods of receiving CWS and possibility of formation of carbon nanomaterials (CNM) are given in their structure. Research and the analysis of a microstructure of a surface of exemplars before electrodigit processing, their element structure, dependence of durability of a cement stone on a look and quantity of an additive of CWS is conducted. For modification of cement the carbon nanomaterials received from the following exemplars of water coal suspensions were used: foams from a cake from a scrubber of the plasma modular reactor, coal water suspension from a cake from electrodigit installation. The product which can find further application for a power engineering as fuel for combustion, and also in structural materials science, in particular, as the modifying additive inconcrete allows to receive these methods.

Full Text Available Thirteen-day-old hatchery-raised fry obtained from hormonally-induced spawns of mature African catfish H. longifilis brood stock were introduced to three different water levels (0.35, 0.50 and 0.65m in four replicates in 12 units of 2x2x1m3 outdoor concrete tanks. The fry were similarly stocked initially at 50 fry m-2 and later thinned down to 5 fish m-2 and cultured for 6 months. Fish were fed twice daily with commercial pellet feeds (Coppens™ while adjusting the feeding rate from 10 to 4% body weight and pellet size from 0.2 to 4.5 mm. The effects of pond water levels were evaluated in growth responses and survival. Water quality variables were similar (p > 0.05 in all compartments. Temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH were at the optimum level for fish. The results reveal significant (P H. longifilis from fry to sub-adult and from the grow-out/fattening of sub-adult to adult, respectively, in outdoor concrete tanks.

Water is collected from a drain situated at the centre of a concrete cell that stores radioactive waste at 'El Cabril', which is the low and intermediate level radioactive waste disposal facility of Spain. This indicates flow of water within the cell. 2D numerical models have been made in order to reproduce and understand the processes that take place inside the cell. Temperature and relative humidity measured by sensors in the cells and thermo-hydraulic parameters from laboratory test have been used. Results show that this phenomenon is caused by capillary rise from the phreatic level, evaporation and condensation within the cell produced by temperature gradients caused by seasonal temperature fluctuations outside. At the centre of the cell, flow of gas and convection also play a role. Three remedial actions have been studied that may avoid the leakage of water from the drain.

Full Text Available The replacement of natural aggregates by recycled aggregates in the concrete manufacturing has been spreading worldwide as a recycling method to counteract the large amount of construction and demolition waste. Although legislation in this field is still not well developed, many investigations demonstrate the possibilities of success of this trend given that concrete with satisfactory mechanical and durability properties could be achieved. However, recycled aggregates present a low quality compared to natural aggregates, the water absorption being their main drawback. When used untreated inconcrete mix, the recycled aggregate absorb part of the water initially calculated for the cement hydration, which will adversely affect some characteristics of the recycled concrete. This article seeks to demonstrate that the technique of pre-saturation is able to solve the aforementioned problem. In order to do so, the water absorption of the aggregates was tested to determine the necessary period of soaking to bring the recycled aggregates into a state of suitable humidity for their incorporation into the mixture. Moreover, several concrete mixes were made with different replacement percentages of natural aggregate and various periods of pre-saturation. The consistency and compressive strength of the concrete mixes were tested to verify the feasibility of the proposed technique.

To avoid impact on the environment, facilities for permanent disposal of hazardous waste adopt multibarrier design schemes. As the primary barrier very often consists of cement-based materials, two distinct aspects are essential for the selection of suitable complementary barriers: (1) selective sorption of the contaminants in the repository and (2) long-term chemical stability in hyperalkaline concrete-derived media. A multidisciplinary approach combining experimental strategies from environmental chemistry and materials science is therefore essential to provide a reliable assessment of potential candidate materials. Chabazite is typically synthesized in 1 M KOH solutions but also crystallizes in simulated young cement pore water, a pH 13 aqueous solution mainly containing K(+) and Na(+) cations. Its formation and stability in this medium was evaluated as a function of temperature (60 and 85 °C) over a timeframe of more than 2 years and was also asessed from a mechanistic point of view. Chabazite demonstrates excellent cation-exchange properties in simulated young cement pore water. Comparison of its Cs(+) cation exchange properties at pH 8 and pH 13 unexpectedly demonstrated an increase of the KD with increasing pH. The combined results identify chabazite as a valid candidate for inclusion in engineered barriers for concrete-based waste disposal.

Internal water curing has a significant effect on concrete. In addition to affecting hydration and moisture distribution, it influences most concrete properties, such as strength, shrinkage, cracking, and durability. The following paper is an overview of experimental methods to study internal water...... curing of concrete and its consequences. The special techniques needed to study internal water curing are dealt with along with the consequences of this process. Examples of applications are given and new measuring techniques that may potentially be applied to this field are addressed....

Full Text Available The most aggressive situation which is responsible for most of the cases of steel reinforcement corrosion inconcrete, takes place when chlorides are present in the environment. These chlorides destroy the passivating film of steel and promote the denominated pitting corrosion.
In order to study the demonstrated corrosive action of chloride ions on concrete structures, a number of experiments have been designed, to quantify the effect of different amounts of this ion inconcrete. Several mixes have been prepared with portland cement type II-C-35 to which it has been added, as an additive in mixing water, NaCl in increasing concentrations. The samples obtained were submerged in different dissolutions of NaCl.
From the results obtained it is clear that the chloride content in mixing water does not affect the flux of calcium ions; however, its influence on the flux of chloride ions is significant. Likewise, it is confirmed that the existence of chloride ions in dissolution influences the migration of calcium and chloride ions.

The phenomenon of self healing inconcrete has been known for many years. It has been observed that some cracks in old concrete structures are lined with white crystalline material suggesting the ability of concrete to self-seal the cracks with chemical products by itself, perhaps with the aid of rainwater and carbon dioxide in air. Later, a number of researchers [1, 2] in the study of water flow through cracked concrete under a hydraulic gradient, noted a gradual reduction of permeability over time, again suggesting the ability of the cracked concrete to self-seal itself and slow the rate of water flow. The main cause of self-sealing was attributed to the formation of calcium carbonate, a result of reaction between unhydrated cement and carbon dioxide dissolved inwater [1]. Thus, under limited conditions, the phenomenon of self-sealing inconcrete is well established. Self-sealing is important to watertight structures and to prolonging service life of infrastructure.

It is a well known fact that for concrete structures exposed to water the splash zone exhibit the greatest risk for corrosion on the reinforcement. Chloride ions are enriched and the supply of oxygen is good. Below the water table reported corrosion damages are few. The threshold for chloride content is in most cases exceeded but the propagation rate is low due to slow diffusion rate of oxygen inwater saturated concrete. Despite this, ongoing corrosion of reinforcement has been observed in cooling water systems at the Swedish nuclear power plants. The aim of this project has been to identify and qualitatively quantify the importance of different possible mechanisms involved in corrosion of reinforcement inwater saturated concrete. This has been achieved by collecting experiences, literature survey, modelling, theoretical calculations, experimental investigations as well as field measurements. The investigations have resulted in several new findings. The following have been concluded: Inwater saturated concrete, without the existence of macro cells, the reinforcement corrodes in an active state but with a very low rate. This active corrosion proceeds independently of the chloride content of the concrete. The corrosion rate is low even with thin concrete cover and most probably even if the concrete has been leached. Nor does high velocity of the cooling water create serious attacks. Inspections have unveiled attacks of reinforcement corrosion in the splash zone, in walls externally exposed to air and in the vicinity to pumps. In the splash zone the attacks occur above the water level. The absence of a macro cell resulting in increased corrosion on parts below the water line is of subordinate importance and is judged being without practical influence. The corrosion takes place where the environmental conditions are optimal. The same is valid for walls externally exposed to air. The macro cell is of subordinate importance. In the vicinity of pumps, observed

Full Text Available In order to develop Smart Cities in India, we need to develop smart technologies and smart construction materials. Permeable concrete an innovative material is environment friendly and a smart material which can be used for construction of several structures. In India, the ground water table is decreasing at a faster rate due to reduction in ground water recharge. These days, the vegetation cover is replaced by infrastructure hence the water gets very less opportunity to infiltrate itself into the soil. If the permeable concrete which has a high porosity is used for the construction of pavements, walking tracks, parking lots, well lining, etc. then it can reduce the runoff from the site and help in the ground water recharge. Such type of smart materials will play an important role for Indian conditions where government is putting lot of efforts to implement ground water recharging techniques. During the research work, the runoff for a particular storm was calculated for a bitumen pavement on a sloping ground. Later after studying the various topographical features, the traffic intensity and the rainfall for that particular area, the concrete was designed and tested for the different proportion and thus the mix design for the permeable concrete was finalized based upon its permeability and strength characteristics. Later by using this permeable concrete the infiltration and runoff for the same storm was compared and studied. The research paper will thus give an account of the properties of permeable concrete where it can be used over an existing road.

Full Text Available Non-autoclaved foam concrete is an advanced thermal insulation material. Until recently, foam concrete production has been based on separate preparation of foam and solution, followed by their blending in a mixer. The situation changed when high-quality synthetic foaming agents and turbulence cavitation technology appeared on the market. Every model provides a dependence between the foam concrete strength and the water-to-cement ratio. According to the water-cement ratio we can distinguish strong concrete mixtures (with the water-to-cement ratio equal to 0.3…0.4 and ductile ones (with the water-to-cement ratio equal to 0.5…0.7. Strong concrete mixtures are more durable. The lower the water-to-cement ratio, the higher the foam concrete strength. However super-plastic substances cannot be mixed by ordinary turbulent mixers. Foam concrete produced using the turbulence cavitation technology needs air-entraining, its intensity being dependent on several factors. One of the main factors is the amount of free water, if it is insufficient, the mixture will not be porous enough. A researcher needs to identify the optimal water-to-cement ratio based on the water consumption rate. Practical production of prefabricated concrete products and structures has proven that the reduction of the water-to-cement ratio improves the strength of the product. The task is to find the water-to-cement ratio for the foam concrete mixture to be plastic enough for air entraining. An increase in the ratio causes loss in the strength. The ratio shall vary within one hundredth points. Super-plasticizers are an alternative solution.

. This paper concerns in particular a new method for site measurement of evaporation from concrete surfaces in the early hardening phase. Compared to the methods used today for determination of the desiccation process in the early hardening phase, the so-called Curing Meter permits a simple, safe and accurate...... determination of the evaporation loss from hardening concrete and thus better possibility for preventing curing problems, including detrimental crack damage due to plastic shrinkage....

A comprehensive treatment of current fastening technology using inserts (anchor channels, headed stud), anchors (metal expansion anchor, undercut anchor, bonded anchor, concrete screw and plastic anchor) as well as power actuated fasteners inconcrete. It describes in detail the fastening elements as well as their effects and load-bearing capacities in cracked and non-cracked concrete. It further focuses on corrosion behaviour, fire resistance and characteristics with earthquakes and shocks. It finishes off with the design of fastenings according to the European Technical Approval Guideline (ETAG 001), the Final Draft of the CEN Technical Specification 'Design of fastenings for use inconcrete' and the American Standards ACI 318-05, Appendix D and ACI 349-01, Appendix B.

Full Text Available The so called water procedure was used to prepare foam concrete samples with bulk density below 150 kg.m-3. Direct foaming method was applied by using of protein based foaming agent. The amount of Portland cement was decreased gradually along with the water-cement ratio maintenance. Degradation of foams occurred with reducing of cement content to 30 % of its original quantity regardless of water procedure included or not in the preparation procedure. Stability of the foam concrete samples prepared only from 30 % of cement was achieved after microwave and ultrasonic treatment of protein based foaming agent. The so prepared foam concretes were stable also after water procedure and exhibited final bulk density of 95 kg.m-3.

Full Text Available This article presents a comparative study of the thermal behavior of residential water tanks of polyethylene and concrete exposed to the sun over a year in the state of Yucatan. The energy for radiation and their corresponding temperatures in each system were measured. Daily patterns of elevation and reduction of temperature were identified and the amount of energy acquired during the day as well as the heat dissipated overnight were determined, aiming to determine the possibility of using residential water tanks as a source of hot waterin residential homes in the Yucatan region. Based on this study it has been found that the periods of the day with hot water temperature for showering with comfort is limited and that, interestingly, both systems show similar temperatures at the bottom of the tanks throughout the year.

Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) can be used as a means for internal curing of concrete. In the present study, the development of transport properties of concrete with SAP is investigated. The chloride migration coefficient according to NT BUILD 492 is used as a measure of this. Twenty concrete...... mixtures are tested 7, 14, and 28 days after casting. The development of degree of hydration is followed for 20 corresponding paste mixtures. Both when SAP is added with extra water to compensate the SAP water absorption in fresh concrete and without extra water, the internal curing water held by SAP may...... contribute to increase the degree of hydration. No matter if SAP is added with or without extra water, it appears that the so-called gel space ratio can be used as a key parameter to link age and mixture proportions (water-to-cement ratio and SAP dosage) to the resulting chloride migration coefficient...

Full Text Available Dry sludge from the Sabadell Water Treatment Plant was used to prepare prefabricated concrete bricks.
After characterising the sludge and the manufacturing process used to make the bricks, we define the conditions of addition of the sludges in the manufacture. Reference samples not containing sludge and samples containing 2 % of dry sludge by cement weight were prepared. The variation in density, porosity, absorption coefficient and compressive strength of the bricks with the presence of sludge was determined over time. Leaching of the bricks was determined according to the NEN 7345 standard.
In most cases the addition of sludge produces a decrease in porosity and absorption coefficients and an increase in compressive strength, so one could expect these bricks to have greater durability. As regards leaching pollutants in the bricks, they are below the limit of the Dutch NEN standard for construction materials and thus can be classified as inert material.

Full Text Available Problem statement: Recycled materials aggregate from the demolished concrete
structures and fly ash from burning coal shows the possible application as structural and non
structural components inconcrete structures. This research aims to evaluate the feasibility of using
concrete containing recycled concrete aggregate and fly ash inconcrete pavement. Approach: Two
water cement ratio (0.45 and 0.55 the compressive strength, modulus of electricity and flexural
strength for concrete with recycled aggregate and fly ash with 0, 25% replacing cement in mass
were considered. Results: The material properties of recycled aggregate concrete with fly ash
indicate comparable results with that of concrete with natural aggregate and without fly ash.
Conclusion/Recommendations: The recycled materials could be used inconcrete pavement and it
will promote the sustainability of concrete.

Full Text Available Waste water treatment reservoirs are contaminated with many hazardous chemicals and acids. Reservoirs typically comprise concrete and reinforcement steel bars, and the main elements responsible for their deterioration are hazardous chemicals, acids, and ozone. Currently, a variety of techniques are being used to protect reservoirs from exposure to these elements. The most widely used techniques are stainless steel plating and polymeric coating. In this study, a technique known as arc thermal spraying was used. It is a more convenient and economical method for protecting both concrete and reinforcement steel bar from deterioration in waste water treatment reservoirs. In this study, 316L stainless steel coating was applied to a concrete surface, and different electrochemical experiments were performed to evaluate the performance of coatings in different acidic pH solutions. The coating generated from the arc thermal spraying process significantly protected the concrete surface from corrosion in acidic pH solutions, owing to the formation of a double layer capacitance—a mixture of Cr3+ enriched with Cr2O3 and Cr-hydroxide in inner and Fe3+ oxide on the outer layer of the coating. The formation of this passive film is defective owing to the non-homogeneous 316L stainless steel coating surface. In the pH 5 solution, the growth of a passive film is adequate due to the presence of un-dissociated water molecules in the aqueous sulfuric acid solution. The coated surface is sealed with alkyl epoxide, which acts as a barrier against the penetration of acidic solutions. This coating exhibits higher impedance values among the three studied acidic pH solutions.

Waste water treatment reservoirs are contaminated with many hazardous chemicals and acids. Reservoirs typically comprise concrete and reinforcement steel bars, and the main elements responsible for their deterioration are hazardous chemicals, acids, and ozone. Currently, a variety of techniques are being used to protect reservoirs from exposure to these elements. The most widely used techniques are stainless steel plating and polymeric coating. In this study, a technique known as arc thermal spraying was used. It is a more convenient and economical method for protecting both concrete and reinforcement steel bar from deterioration in waste water treatment reservoirs. In this study, 316L stainless steel coating was applied to a concrete surface, and different electrochemical experiments were performed to evaluate the performance of coatings in different acidic pH solutions. The coating generated from the arc thermal spraying process significantly protected the concrete surface from corrosion in acidic pH solutions, owing to the formation of a double layer capacitance—a mixture of Cr3+ enriched with Cr2O3 and Cr-hydroxide in inner and Fe3+ oxide on the outer layer of the coating. The formation of this passive film is defective owing to the non-homogeneous 316L stainless steel coating surface. In the pH 5 solution, the growth of a passive film is adequate due to the presence of un-dissociated water molecules in the aqueous sulfuric acid solution. The coated surface is sealed with alkyl epoxide, which acts as a barrier against the penetration of acidic solutions. This coating exhibits higher impedance values among the three studied acidic pH solutions. PMID:28773875

Through adding different additional water use,the compressive strength,splitting tensile strength and fluidity of recycled concrete of three aggregate combination forms were studied by experiment respectively.The experimental results show that with the increase of adding additional water use,the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of recycled coarse aggregate concrete decrease,but that of recycled fine aggregate concrete and recycled all aggregate concrete increase firstly then decrease.When additional water use is added more 15% or 20% than that of basic ordinary concrete,the recycled coarse aggregate concrete and fine one can get pretty good fluidity.When it is added more 30%,the recycled all aggregate concrete has fluidity that is just satisfied.

Sludge ejection from the foundation of a wind turbine tower fixed by the anchor-ring method and the resulting sludge buildup have been confirmed to cause the undesirable phenomenon of lifting of the tower. Using specimen that is a pirtial model of the wind turbine foundation, this study investigates the influence of liquid water, differences in W/C, and differences in loading speed, to analyze developing factors on the concrete damage . The results shows that penetration of liquid water from ...

Considers the corrosive action exerted by water on concrete shaft linings. Several kinds of water aggressiveness are distinguished: sulfate, acidic, carbonate, magnesian, leachate and of the ammonium type. Laboratory and in situ investigations into water aggressiveness towards shaft lining are described and results are presented. Related Polish standards are discussed. Presence of a new kind of water was established in which Mg{sup 2+} ion concentration reaches 4,500 mg/dm{sup 3} and SO{sub 4}{sup 2-} ion concentration exceeds 3,000 mg/dm{sup 3}. Damage to concrete shaft lining caused by aggressive water was found in shafts of several mines in the Upper Silesia coal basin. Investigations into the effect of high Mg{sup 2+} and SO{sub 4}{sup 2-} ion concentration inwater on concrete shaft lining have been conducted at the Research and Development Department of the Mine Work Enterprise Budokop in Myslowice since 1984. Redrafting of related standards is recommended. 5 refs.

The Freiesleben Maturity function is widely used for planning of execution. We tested if for concrete with and without fly ash. The test showed surprisingly that the maturity function in general is not valid. We found that curing at high temperature gave a significant decrease in strength. Fly ash...... appears to reduce this decrease somewhat. We also examined the resistance against chloride penetration for the different concrete types. The resistance was reduced at high temperatures for concrete without fly ash. For concrete with fly ash, it was the opposite; concrete with fly ash obtained higher...

One of the reported problems associated with the performance of Ag/AgCl electrodes in alkaline environment, as concrete pore water, has been their poor stability. Open circuit potentials are typically observed to be stable for a time period of a few minutes to some days depending on the thickness

The marine structures such as harbour,pier and inshore concrete terrace are exposed in adverse circumstances in a long period of time . Owing to the attack of external corrosive medium, their safety, durability and reliability decline. Especially the reinforced concrete(RC) structures in the wave splash area are more likely to be subjected to destruction and the loss is vast. Now the safety ,durability and reliability of structure have become increasingly an important subject to be studied. By way of the soaking and drying cycle test on the different mix proportions oblique section of 10 pieces of RC beams suffered artificial sea water(ASW) corrosion under 0,35,70,105,140 times of dry-wet cycles ,the compared results of exerting pressure test of these beams under simply supporting were investigated. The law about the changes of the mechanical performance for RC beams with different mix proportions under different time periods for suffering corrosion of dry-wet cycles is as follows: the resistivity to ASW corrosion of the concrete specimens with various water cement ratio( various initial strength) is different; the characters of oblique section failure for RC beams attacked by sea water are about the same as those for ordinary RC beam; along with the extension of the time for sea water attack, the bearing capacity for oblique section of RC beams varies wave upon wave. The specimens attacked by sea water for about 35 times of corrosion cycle achieve minimum bearing capacity.

ISO 12439, in addition to chemical and physical requirements, establishes maximum levels for harmful substances that may be present in the mixing water of concrete, when they come from natural sources from contaminated soils. These harmful substances considered in the ISO are sugars, phosphates (P2O5), nitrate (NO3-), lead (P2+) and zinc (Zn2+). As an alternative to the maximum values, ISO verifies the effect of these substances inwater from contaminated soils. This measurement is made on the effect on the mechanical strength of the concrete (compression at 7 and 28 days) and the setting times (start and end setting). This paper presents the results obtained on samples of concrete made with smaller, similar and more content to the maximum levels set by ISO 12439 are presented. The results establish that in the case of nitrate, a substance present in many contaminated soils margins resistance variation or setting times allowed by ISO 12439 are not met. Finally, it is concluded that in case of presence of these pollutants should be performed strength tests and setting times before authorizing the use of water. Keywords: Harmful substances, contaminated soils, water pollution.

Full Text Available Based on water penetration in unsaturated concrete of underwater tunnel, a diffusion-advection theoretical model of chloride in undersea concrete tunnel was proposed. The basic parameters including porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, chloride diffusion coefficient, initial water saturation, and moisture retention function of concrete specimens with two water-binder ratios were determined through lab-scale experiments. The variation of chloride concentration with pressuring time, location, solution concentration, initial saturation, hydraulic pressure, and water-binder ratio was investigated through chloride transport tests under external water pressure. In addition, the change and distribution of chloride concentration of isothermal horizontal flow were numerically analyzed using TOUGH2 software. The results show that chloride transport in unsaturated concrete under external water pressure is a combined effect of diffusion and advection instead of diffusion. Chloride concentration increased with increasing solution concentration for diffusion and increased with an increase inwater pressure and a decrease in initial saturation for advection. The dominant driving force converted with time and saturation. When predicting the service life of undersea concrete tunnel, it is suggested that advection is taken into consideration; otherwise the durability tends to be unsafe.

The intensity of prompt gamma-ray was measured at various depths from chlorine-contaminated silica fume (SF) concrete slab concrete specimens using portable neutron generator-based prompt gamma-ray setup. The intensity of 6.11MeV chloride gamma-rays was measured from the chloride contaminated slab at distance of 15.25, 20.25, 25.25, 30.25 and 35.25cm from neutron target in a SF cement concrete slab specimens. Due to attenuation of thermal neutron flux and emitted gamma-ray intensity in SF cement concrete at various depths, the measured intensity of chlorine gamma-rays decreases non-linearly with increasing depth inconcrete. A good agreement was noted between the experimental results and the results of Monte Carlo simulation. This study has provided useful experimental data for evaluating the chloride contamination in the SF concrete utilizing gamma-ray attenuation method.

Salado Mass Concrete (SMC) has been developed for use as a seal component in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. This concrete is intended to be mixed from pre-bagged materials, have an initial slump of 10 in., and remain pumpable and placeable for two hours after mixing. It is a mass concrete because it will be placed in monoliths large enough that the heat generated during cement hydration has the potential to cause thermal expansion and subsequent cracking, a phenomenon to avoid in the seal system. This report describes effects on concrete properties of changes in ratio of water to cement, batch size, and variations in characteristics of different lots of individual components of the concrete. The research demonstrates that the concrete can be prepared from laboratory-batched or pre-bagged dry materials in batches from 1.5 ft{sup 3} to 5.0 yd{sup 3}, with no chemical admixtures other than the sodium chloride added to improve bonding with the host rock, at a water-to-cement ratio ranging from 0.36 to 0.42. All batches prepared according to established procedures had adequate workability for at least 1.5 hours, and achieved or exceeded the target compressive strength of 4500 psi at 180 days after casting. Portland cement and fly ash from different lots or sources did not have a measurable effect on concrete properties, but variations in a shrinkage-compensating cement used as a component of the concrete did appear to affect workability. A low initial temperature and the water-reducing and set-retarding functions of the salt are critical to meeting target properties.

Significant factors on steel corrosion in chloride contaminated reinforced concrete and time-to-corrosion cracking were investigated in this study. Sixty specimens were designed with seven admixed chloride contents, three concrete cover depths, two reinforcing steel bar diameters, two exposure conditions, and a typical concrete with water to cement ratio of 0.45. Corrosion current density (corrosion rate), corrosion potential, ohmic resistance of concrete and temperature were measured monthly...

Pervious concrete is a type of concrete with little or no fines which give a large void. This enables high permeability and because of this it enables water to percolate through the concrete. Pervious concrete have been used in many years both as pavement material and on several other applications in the U.S and in other countries in Western Europe. In Norway pervious concrete is not currently in use. This thesis aims to investigate if pervious concrete can withstand the harsh Norwegian clima...

The impermeability mechanism of water-proof self-compacting concrete (WPSCC )was studied. The mechanism and influential factors, such as water-cement ratio(w/c), dosage of powder, superplasticizer, sand content, aggregate content, fly ash, UEA, PP fiber, on compactibility and crack resistance of WPSCC were analyzed. A type of WPSCC successfully applied in tunnel liner with its validities, conveniences and economies by mockup test was developed and optimized. Experimental results show that the WPSCC has good workability, mechanical properties and impermeability when reasonable requirements are fulfilled.

Full Text Available Fish rearing causes changes inwater quality due to the use of feed, mineral and organic fertilizers, pharmaceuticals and disinfectants. Rational fishery management aims to maintain or restore the quality of waterin natural ecosystems. Cultures produce a certain amount of waste and pollutants released into the environment with waters departing from ponds, but their harmfulness depends on the conditions and type of farming. Studies on the assessment of the effects of rearing trout on physical and chemical properties of surface water were carried out in 2010-2012. Were chosen trout farm located in the Pomeranian province about 36 miles southeast of Słupsk. Water samples for physical and chemical analysis were collected every two months (a total of 12 sets samples collected and labeled them: temperature [°C], dissolved oxygen [mg · dm-3], oxygen saturation [%] electrolytic conductivity [S · cm-1], pH, redox potential [mV] and BOD5 and CODCr. The study showed that the water used to supply breeding facilities meet the requirements to be met which are inland water salmonid habitat. Only periodically for BOD5 standards have been slightly exceeded. After passing through the joints deterioration of water quality did not cause a change in the quality of the class, if only temporarily BOD5 ratio were lower in its quality from the first to the third class.

Full Text Available In developed countries like the UK, France, Italy and Germany, it is estimated that spending on maintenance and repair is practically the same as investment in new constructions. Therefore, this paper aims to study different ways of interfering in the corrosion kinetic using an accelerated corrosion test - CAIM, that simulates the chloride attack. The three variables are: concrete cover thickness, use of silica fume and the water/binder ratio. It was found, by analysis of variance of the weight loss of the steel bars and chloride content in the concrete cover thickness, there is significant influence of the three variables. Also, the results indicate that the addition of silica fume is the path to improve the corrosion protection of low water/binder ratio concretes (like 0.4 and elevation of the concrete cover thickness is the most effective solution to increase protection of high water/binder ratio concrete (above 0.5.

Shear behaviour inconcrete materials is very well documented, for normal density concrete materials. In this paper results of various tests on low density concrete materials like aerated autoclaved concrete (in the following denoted aircrete) will be presented and analyzed for different combinat......Shear behaviour inconcrete materials is very well documented, for normal density concrete materials. In this paper results of various tests on low density concrete materials like aerated autoclaved concrete (in the following denoted aircrete) will be presented and analyzed for different...

A diverse class of viscous materials, which includes familiar materials such concrete, wood, and Kevlar, exhibit surprising, counterintutive properties under internal moisture content fluctuations. In test after test over the past 50 years, the viscosity of these materials is observed to decrease, often dramatically, during wetting and drying. The key characteristics of the observed viscous softening are: the decrease in viscosity is temporary, and depending on the specimen size can be greatly delayed with respect to the associated change in weight; the decrease in viscosity is absent under steady state flow. Based on recent research on the properties of water and other polar fluids confined by hydrophilic surfaces, we provide a physical explanation and propose a constitutive law. The resulting model accurately captures the interplay between the pore fluid movement and macroscopic constitutive properties in totality. The model is verified against published data for the creep of paper sheets exposed to cyclic moisture conditions. Experimental data of different materials under similar boundary conditions are compared using a new metric, the creep rate factor. The results further reinforce the idea that nanoscale movement of water enhances the internal 'lubrication' of the studied materials, interpreted as loosening of the hydrogen bonds.

Full Text Available The expansion of urban areas under constant changes in the hydrological cycle directly affects the drainage of rainwater. The problems of urban drainage become major engineering problems to be solved in order to avoid negative consequences for local populations. Another urban problem is the excessive production of construction and demolition waste (CDW, in which , even with a increasingly policy of waste management , have been an end up being thrown in inappropriate disposal sites. Alternatively aiming to a minimization of the problems presented, we propose the study of permeable concrete using recycled concrete aggregate. In this study, there were evaluated the performance of concrete by means of permeability, consistency, strength, and interface conditions of the materials . Satisfactory relationships of resistance/permeability of concrete with recycled aggregate in relation to the concrete with natural aggregates was obtained, showing their best potential.

The Structural Aging Program has the overall objective of providing the USNRC with an improved basis for evaluating nuclear power plant safety-related structures for continued service. The program consists of a management task and three technical tasks: materials property data base, structural component assessment/repair technology, and quantitative methodology for continued-service determinations. Objectives, accomplishments, and planned activities under each of these tasks are presented. Major program accomplishments include development of a materials property data base for structural materials as well as an aging assessment methodology for concrete structures in nuclear power plants. Furthermore, a review and assessment of inservice inspection techniques for concrete materials and structures has been complete, and work on development of a methodology which can be used for performing current as well as reliability-based future condition assessment of concrete structures is well under way. 43 refs., 3 tabs.

The aim of the present literature study has been to collect knowledge about reported concentrations of chloride concentrations inconcrete exposed to brackish water and also to get an overview of whether a critical threshold chloride concentration for chloride induced corrosion on steel embedded inconcrete has been reported and/or accepted. Only five known reports present chloride concentrations inconcrete that has been exposed to brackish water. All three refer to the Baltic sea or the Gulf of Bothnia. Reported chloride concentrations in the concrete is considerably higher (more than a factor of ten) than what would have been expected if the chloride had been present in the concrete only as sea waterin the pore system. One reason why high chloride concentrations occur in certain zones of the concrete may be that in these zones, evaporation and capillary suction of salt water may occur alternately. Another reason is that chloride ions are physically and/or chemically bound to the cement paste structure. Chloride binding is reported to be dependent on pH value in the pore solution. In line with this, another report suggests that the pH value of the outer chloride solution (the exposure solution) may be affected by the test sample when tests are carried out in small beakers, like in the laboratory. The author of that report says this might be a reason why critical chloride concentrations with respect to steel corrosion measured in the laboratory and in the field will deviate. As for reported threshold levels, many different values have been reported, differing by more than a factor 100, irrespective of the way of reporting (chloride by cement weight, chloride to hydroxide ratio, chloride to pore solution volume, etc). Some authors claim that in fact no one, single critical chloride concentration exists, but that it will depend on several other factors such as humidity, oxygen availability, pH etc. Furthermore, there are different opinions on whether bound

Full Text Available The subject of research is the effect of mechanic and magnetic treatment of different concentrations of the aqueous solution of fluidifier S-3 produced onto the concrete mix rheology, compressive strength and structure formation. Mechanic and magnetic treatment was performed by the pulsed rotor machine equipped with a permanent magnet. It is identified that mechanic and magnetic treatment of the water added into the fluidifier improves the flowability of the concrete mix in comparison with the flowability of the concrete mix prepared absent of treated water, although the amount of the fluidifier meets technical specifications. S-3 fluidifier content in the mix that has treated water is smaller than the same content in a standard mix by several hundreds of times. The concrete mix that has treated water demonstrates highest flowability. The water-to-cement ratio was fixed at 0.4 for all specimens under consideration. In addition, the concrete that has treated water and a minimal amount of S-3 fluidifier (5% of the cement mass demonstrates that its compressive strength is by far higher than the one of the concrete prepared through the application of the conventional approach that contemplates a standard fluidifier consumption rate. Following a thermal analysis, a thermogravimetric analysis and an X-ray diffractometry, it was discovered that the application of treated water accompanied by the minimal consumption of S-3 fluidifier caused the structure of the concrete cement stone to be more compact, while it demonstrated higher crystallization and stronger interphase interaction. Therefore, considerable reduction in the consumption of S-3 fluidifier, coupled with mechanic and magnetic treatment of the water improves concrete strength properties while concrete flowability does not deteriorate.

Full Text Available Foam concrete with different dry densities (400, 500, 600, 700, and 800 kg/m3 was prepared from ordinary Portland cement (P.O.42.5R and vegetable protein foaming agent by adjusting the water-cement ratio through the physical foaming method. The performance of the cement paste adopted, as well as the structure and distribution of air pores, was characterized by a rheometer, scanning electron microscope, vacuum water saturation instrument, and image analysis software. Effects of the water-cement ratio on the relative viscosity of the cement paste, as well as pore structure and strength of the hardened foam concrete, were discussed. Results showed that water-cement ratio can influence the size, distribution, and connectivity of pores in foam concrete. The compressive strength of the foam concrete showed an inverted V-shaped variation law with the increase inwater-cement ratio.

The super absorbent polymer (SAP) has the ability to absorb relatively large amount of water and convert it into gel at the same time the volume increases proportionally. These properties are found to be very useful and effective in plain concrete. Also the use of super absorbent polymer inconcrete is proven to have many positive effects on the properties of concretein its both stages; fresh concrete and hardened concrete. This study focuses on the water tightness properties of plain con...

An attempt to substitute inconcrete the 5% by weight of fine aggregate (natural sand) with an equal weight of PET aggregates manufactured from the waste un-washed PET bottles (WPET), is presented. The WPET particles possessed a granulometry similar to that of the substituted sand. Specimens with different cement content and water/cement ratio were manufactured. Rheological characterization on fresh concrete and mechanical tests at the ages of 28 and 365days were performed on the WPET/concretes as well as on reference concretes containing only natural fine aggregate in order to investigate the influence of the substitution of WPET to the fine aggregate inconcrete. It was found that the WPET concretes display similar workability characteristics, compressive strength and splitting tensile strength slightly lower that the reference concrete and a moderately higher ductility.

Due to its low water content,it is difficult for expansive agent to have an effective expansive effect on high strength concrete to compensate its extensive shrinkage and form a certain expansion.To solve this problem,water-releasing material with water storage and releasing characteristics was incorporated into high strength micro-expansive concrete to provide internal curing,and expansive effect of expansive agent was improved.Migration of water from initially saturated water-releasing material to the surrounding hydrating cement paste was investigated.Based on a given efficient diffusion distance of water stored inwater-releasing material,the mass and real water-cement ratio of cured cement paste were estimated.At the same time,the effect of internal curing of water-releasing material on the volume deformation of high strength micro-expansive concrete was investigated.

Full Text Available We evaluated the applicability of metal spray coating as a waterproofing/corrosion protection method for a concrete structure used for water purification. We carried out an ozone resistance test on four metal sprays and evaluated the water permeability and bond strength of the metals with superior ozone resistance, depending on the surface treatment method. In the ozone resistance test, four metal sprays and an existing ozone-proof paint were considered. In the experiment on the water permeability and bond strength depending on the surface treatment method, the methods of no treatment, surface polishing, and two types of pore sealing agents were considered. The results showed that the sprayed titanium had the best ozone resistance. Applying a pore sealing agent provided the best adhesion performance, of about 3.2 MPa. Applying a pore sealing agent also provided the best waterproofing performance. Scanning electron microscope analysis showed that applying a pore sealing agent resulted in an excellent waterproofing performance because a coating film formed on top of the metal spray coating. Thus, when using a metal spray as waterproofing/corrosion protection for a water treatment concrete structure, applying a pore sealing agent on top of a film formed by spraying titanium was concluded to be the most appropriate method.

The possibility of using concrete as a construction material at the Moon surface is considered. Dissimilarities between the Earth and the Moon and their possible effects on concrete are also emphasized. Availability of constituent materials for concrete at lunar surface is addressed. An emphasis is given to two types of materials, namely, hydraulic concrete and sulfur concrete. Hydraulic concrete necessitates the use of water and sulfur concrete makes use of molten sulfur in lieu of cement and water.

Full Text Available The current study mainly investigated the influence of different tests on the abrasion resistance of concrete mixed with steel fibers and silica fume. The abrasion resistance was assessed at 28, 56 and 91 days on concretes with water-binder ratios of 0.35 and 0.55 where in some mixes silica fume was substituted by 5 % of cement by weight. Steel fibers of 0.5 % and 1.0 % of concrete volume were also added into the test concrete by replacement of coarse and fine aggregates. The results showed that concrete with higher compressive strength in Los Angeles abrasion tests also had better abrasion resistance. The inclusion of steel fibers into test concrete with a water-binder ratio of 0.35 resulted in a significant increase in compressive strength. This concrete also displayed better abrasion resistance and splitting tensile strength than reference concrete; in the test sample with a water-binder ratio of 0.55, the added steel fibers was unable to effectively produce cementation with the concrete. The inclusion of silica fume improved the abrasion resistance of concretes. Inwater abrasion testing, the abrasion resistance of concrete containing steel fiber was worse than that of concrete without steel fibers. In the water abrasion testing, the surface of steel fiber reinforced concrete was eroded by water and steel balls, and the impact caused the steel fibers to separate from the concrete and led to higher wear loss. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.20.4.6460

Full Text Available The current study mainly investigated the influence of different tests on the abrasion resistance of concrete mixed with steel fibers and silica fume. The abrasion resistance was assessed at 28, 56 and 91 days on concretes with water-binder ratios of 0.35 and 0.55 where in some mixes silica fume was substituted by 5 % of cement by weight. Steel fibers of 0.5 % and 1.0 % of concrete volume were also added into the test concrete by replacement of coarse and fine aggregates. The results showed that concrete with higher compressive strength in Los Angeles abrasion tests also had better abrasion resistance. The inclusion of steel fibers into test concrete with a water-binder ratio of 0.35 resulted in a significant increase in compressive strength. This concrete also displayed better abrasion resistance and splitting tensile strength than reference concrete; in the test sample with a water-binder ratio of 0.55, the added steel fibers was unable to effectively produce cementation with the concrete. The inclusion of silica fume improved the abrasion resistance of concretes. Inwater abrasion testing, the abrasion resistance of concrete containing steel fiber was worse than that of concrete without steel fibers. In the water abrasion testing, the surface of steel fiber reinforced concrete was eroded by water and steel balls, and the impact caused the steel fibers to separate from the concrete and led to higher wear loss. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.20.4.6460

Full Text Available The super absorbent polymer (SAP has the ability to absorb relatively large amount of water and convert it into gel at the same time the volume increases proportionally. These properties are found to be very useful and effective in plain concrete. Also the use of super absorbent polymer inconcrete is proven to have many positive effects on the properties of concretein its both stages; fresh concrete and hardened concrete. This study focuses on the water tightness properties of plain concrete with time. The study includes short term and long term effect of the super absorbent polymer on the water sealing properties. There are also many advantages of the use of the super absorbent polymer in plain concrete including providing internal water source. This internal water source acts as internal curing agent after the final setting of concrete. At the same time the SAP releases water at relatively slower rate at the fresh concrete stage. The SAP also provides additional voids in the concrete mass. These voids affect the concrete strength negatively at the same time improve the concrete performance by improving the concrete workability and consistency, reducing the concrete susceptibility to freezing thawing cycle, and improving concrete stability.

Sustainable management of waste materials is an attractive approach for modern societies. In this study, recycling of raw waste lamb and chicken bones for defluoridation of water has been estimated. The effects of several experimental parameters including contact time, pH, bone dose, fluoride initial concentration, bone grains size, agitation rate, and the effect of co-existing anions in actual samples of wastewater were studied for fluoride removal from aqueous solutions. Results indicated excellent fluoride removal efficiency up to 99.4% and 99.8% using lamb and chicken bones, respectively at fluoride initial concentration of 10 mg F/L and 120 min contact time. Maximum fluoride uptake was obtained at neutral pH range 6-7. Fluoride removal kinetic was well described by the pseudo-second order kinetic model. Both, Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models could fit the experimental data well with correlation coefficient values >0.99 suggesting favorable conditions of the process. Furthermore, for complete sustainable management of waste bones, the resulted fluoride-bearing sludge was reused inconcrete mixes to partially replace sand. Tests of the mechanical properties of fluoride sludge-modified concrete mixes indicated a potential environmentally friendly approach to dispose fluoride sludge inconcrete and simultaneously enhance concrete properties.

Water permeability of concrete is used to indicate its durability. Accurate and reproducible measurement of water permeability is difficult and becomes more difficult as the quality of concrete increases. When high-performance concrete (HPC) is tested, these concerns become more pronounced. HPC is used widely to improve the durability and performance of structures but there are few test procedures able to evaluate its permeability-related properties. In this study the water permeabilities of concretes including HPC were measured using a high-pressure triaxial cell with a sensitive and automated measurement capability. Special analysis procedures were developed to obtain useful data from the extremely low volume of water being measured. This method was able to measure a wide range of permeability values from 10{sup {minus}12} m/s to 10{sup {minus}16} m/s, with reproducible measurements on replicates.

The paper discusses the background and results of research focused on the action of a high-speed water jet on concrete with different qualities. The sufficient and careful removal of degraded concrete layers is very important for the renovation of concrete structures. High-speed water jet technology is one of the most common methods used for removing degraded concrete layers. Different types of high-speed water jets were tested in the experimental part. The classical technology of a single continuous water jet generated with one nozzle was tested as well as the technology of revolving water jets generated by multiple nozzles (used mainly for the renovation of larger areas). A continuous flat water jet and pulsating flat water jet were tested the first time, because the connection of a water jet with the acoustic generator of a pulsating jet offers new possibilities for the use of a water jet (see [1] and [2]). A water jet with such a modification is capable of efficient action and can even be used for cutting solid concrete with a relatively low consumption of energy. A flat pulsating water jet which can be newly used for renovation seems to be a promising technology.

The performance of the surface zone of concrete is acknowledged as a major factor governing the rate of deterioration of reinforced concrete structures because it provides the only barrier to the ingress of water containing dissolved ionic species such as chlorides, which ultimately initiate corrosion of the reinforcement. In situ monitoring of cover-zone concrete is therefore critical in attempting to make realistic predictions as to the in-service performance of the structure. To this end, ...

Concrete structures are often reinforced with steel. In order for the reinforcement to take over tensile forces, concrete has to crack. Through such cracks, water and compounds that are harmful to concrete can enter. This can cause durability issues like leakage, concrete degradation and reinforceme

Full Text Available The primary characteristic of previous concrete is high porosity with interconnected voids between aggregate particles. This permits the use of this specialty concrete as a permeable pavement material. It prevents storm water runoff from causing flooding and erosion downstream. This paper attempts to optimize the compressive strength and infiltration rate of pervious concrete for use as a pavement material in low traffic parking lot areas at a site in suburban Mumbai.

Concrete cubes cast and cured with seawater were observed to have a higher strength at 28 ... However, in the case of reinforced concrete, it is recommended that reinforcement be prevented from corrosion by ... Cracking facilitate the entry of de-icing salt solution that may .... From Table 2, it can be seen that the value of the.

Evaluation of the structural condition of deteriorated concrete infrastructure and evaluation of new sustainable cementitious materials require an understanding of how the material will respond to applied loads and environmental exposures. A fundamental understanding of how microstructural changes in these materials relate to changes in mechanical properties and changes in fluid penetrability is needed. The ability to provide rapid, inexpensive assessment of material characteristics and relevant engineering properties is valuable for decision making and asset management purposes. In this investigation, the effects of changes in dynamic elastic properties with water content and fluid penetrability properties before and after a 300°C exposure were investigated based on estimates of the crack density parameter from dry and saturated cracked media. The experimental and analytical techniques described in this dissertation allow calculation of a value for the crack density parameter using nondestructive determination of wet and dry dynamic shear modulus of relatively thin disks. The techniques were used to compare a conventional concrete mixture to several mixtures with enhanced sustainability characteristics. The three enhanced sustainable materials investigated were a very high fly ash mixture, a magnesium phosphate cement based mortar, and a magnesium phosphate cement based concrete, and were compared to a conventional concrete mixture. The analysis provided both quantitative assessment of changes with high temperature damage and autogenous healing, and estimates of changes in mean crack trace lengths. The results showed that water interaction, deterioration due to damage, and autogenous healing recovery were different for the magnesium phosphate cement based mixtures than the portland cement based concrete mixtures. A strong correlation was found between log-transformed Air Permeability Index, dynamic shear modulus, and crack density parameter. The findings imply

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding was provided to supplement the environmental management program at several DOE sites, including the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Demolition of the ETTP K-33 Building, the largest building to be demolished to date in Oak Ridge, was awarded to LSRS in FY-2010 under the ARRA program. The K-33 building was an 82 foot tall 2-story structure covering approximately 32 acres. Once this massive building was brought down to the ground, the debris was segregated and consolidated into piles of concrete rubble and steel across the remaining pad. The process of demolishing the building, tracking across concrete debris with heavy equipment, and stockpiling the concrete rubble caused it to become pulverized. During and after storm events, hexavalent chromium leached from the residual cement present in the large quantities of concrete. Storm water control measures were present to preclude migration of contaminants off-site, but these control measures were not designed to control hexavalent chromium dissolved in storm water from reaching nearby receiving water. The following was implemented to mitigate hexavalent chromium in storm water: - Steel wool was distributed around K-33 site catch basins and inwater pools as an initial step in addressing hexavalent chromium. - Since the piles of concrete were too massive and unsafe to tarp, they were placed into windrows in an effort to reduce total surface area. - A Hach colorimetric field meter was acquired by the K-33 project to provide realtime results of hexavalent chromium in site surface water. - Three hexavalent chromium treatment systems were installed at three separate catch basins that receive integrated storm water flow from the K-33 site. Sodium bisulfite is being used as a reducing agent for the immobilization of hexavalent chromium while also assisting in lowering pH. Concentrations initially were 310 - 474 ppb of hexavalent chromium in

Full Text Available This paper compares the results of Seismic Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Shaft Support Water Storage Tank carried out in accordance with IS: 1893- 1984 and IS: 1893-2002 (Part-2 draft code. The analysis is carried out for shaft supported water tank of 500,750 and 1000 Cu.m capacity, located in four seismic zones (Zone-II, Zone -III, Zone-IV, Zone-V and on three different soil types (Hard rock, Medium soil, Soft soil. Further, 1000 kl tank for conditions - tank full, tank empty are also considered in this study. The analysis was performed using MAT LAB. The parameters of comparison include base shears, base moments and time history analysis. The above models are analyzed for different time history data such as El Centro, Kobe, Ji-Ji, Erzincan. The comparison is made between the structural responses of one mass and two mass models of above capacity.

Pervious concrete, an alternative to conventional concrete, is a material with an increased amount of void space that allows water to pass through the concrete versus ponding and/or running off into catchment systems. This study examines the retention capabilities of lead and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) within an entire pervious concrete system and the effects of different fly ash compositions for pervious concrete along with two different types of crushed stones and a soil layer. A complete pervious concrete system consisted of one formulation of pervious concrete along with one type of crushed stone and the soil layer used in the individual trials of TSS removal and lead retention to determine if a complete pervious concrete system would equal the sum of its parts. The retention of lead by the complete pervious concrete system was compared against the individual results from the parts of the complete pervious concrete system. Among the different formulations of pervious concrete, the specimens with a high loss on ignition showed a higher removal rate of lead but not TSS than those with low loss on ignition, yet the difference in the percentage of fly ash did not show an effect on the removal or retention of either lead or TSS. Of the two types of crushed stone tested, the 3/8" crushed stone retained more TSS than the #57 crushed stone. The amount of lead retained by the #57 crushed stone was not significantly different from the 3/8" crushed stone after the crushed stone was flushed. The dirt layer showed a complete removal rate of lead as did the complete pervious concrete system. The sum of the parts of the pervious concrete system indicate that for maximum removal of TSS and lead, a high loss on ignition fly ash pervious concrete cylinder should be used in conjunction with a 3/8" crushed stone layer.

Freeze/thaw damage inconcrete is by general practice concluded to be a problem that can be avoided by using air-entraining agents to develop an air bubble structure in the hardened concrete together with the use of a relatively low water to cement ratio in mix. This fact is true for inner damages......, however, the so-called salt-frost damage, occurring mainly at the surfaces of concrete constructions, can not totally be avoided by the above mentioned method. The performance and the mechanisms occurring inconcrete, with a substantial amount of waterin its micro-structure, at very low temperature are......, however, in most part unknown. In this work samples of concrete at different water to cement ratios and air bubble contents subjected to freeze/thaw cycles with the lowest temperature at about -80 oC are investigated. By adopting a novel technique a scanning calorimeter is used to obtain data from which...

Full Text Available Shrinkage is one of the least desirable attributes inconcrete. Large areas of exposed concrete surfaces , such as in shotcrete tunnel linings, where it is practically impossible to make a moist cure, are highly susceptible to plastic shrinkage at early ages. The autogenous and drying shrinkage can lead to states of greater than threshold strength, causing fracture, mechanical damage and lack of durability of concrete structures. The addition of fibers can greatly reduce plastic shrinkage, but has limited effect in mitigating autogenous and drying shrinkage. To evaluate the performance of polypropylene and steel fibers to understand their effect on shrinkage of concrete, a study was carried out to relate the loss of water from the paste and the shrinkage during the first 28 days of age, and compare it with a control mix without fiber. The loss of water was obtained by the weight loss of the specimens at different ages, since the only component that could contribute for the loss of weight was the water lost by the paste of the concrete. And the paste itself is the only source of shrinkage. Uniaxial compressive tests from very early ages enabled the determination of time when plastic shrinkage ended. It was observed that the control concrete mix lost three times more water and developed plastic and drying shrinkage 60 % higher than the fiber reinforced concrete mixes. It was possible to demonstrate that the reduced loss of water caused by the incorporation of fibers is related to the mitigation of plastic shrinkage. It was observed that the fibers are effective to restrain the movement of water through the cement paste in the plastic state, however such effect is limited after concrete starts the hardening state.

Full Text Available This paper presents an experimental research on mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC at low and high water/binder (W/B ratios. Concrete at two W/B ratios (0.255 and 0.586 was broken into recycled concrete aggregates (RCA. A type of thermal treatment was employed to remove mortar attached to RCA. The RAC at a certain (low or high W/B ratio was prepared with RCA made from demolished concrete of the same W/B ratio. Tests were conducted on aggregate to measure water absorption and crushing values and on both RAC and natural aggregate concrete (NAC to measure compressive strength, tensile splitting strength, and fracture energy. The mechanical properties of RAC were lower than those of NAC at an identical mix proportion. Moreover, the heating process caused a decrease in compressive strength and fracture energy in the case of low W/B ratio but caused an increase in those properties in the case of high W/B ratio. The main type of flaw in RCA from concrete at a low W/B ratio should be microcracks in gravel, and the main type of flaw in RCA from concrete at a high W/B ratio should be attached mortar.

A model of damage to fresh concretein a corrosive sulphate environment was formulated to investigate how and why the strength of corroded concrete changes over time. First, a corroded concrete block was divided into three regions:an expanded and dense region;a crack-development region;and a noncorroded region. Second, based on the thickness of the surface corrosion layer and the rate of loss of compressive strength of the corroding region, a computational model of the concrete blocks’ corrosion-resistance coefficient of compressive strength in a sulphate environment was generated. Third, experimental tests of the corrosion of concrete were conducted by immersing specimens in a corrosive medium for 270 d. A comparison of the experimental results with the computational formulae shows that the calculation results and test results are in good agreement. A parameter analysis reveals that the corrosion reaction plays a major role in the corrosion of fresh concrete containing ordinary Portland cement, but the diffusion of the corrosion medium plays a major role in the corrosion of concrete mixtures containing fly ash and sulphate-resistant cement. Fresh concrete with a high water-to-cement ratio shows high performance during the whole experiment process whereas fresh concrete with a low water-to-cement ratio shows poor performance during the late experiment period.

Full Text Available In recent decades, engineers have sought a more sustainable method to dispose of concrete construction and demolition waste. One solution is to crush this waste concrete into a usable gradation for new concrete mixes. This not only reduces the amount of waste entering landfills but also alleviates the burden on existing sources of quality natural concrete aggregates. There are too many kinds of waste but here constructions waste will be the priority target that should be solved. It could be managed by several ways such as recycling and reusing the concrete components, and the best choice of these components is the aggregate, because of the ease process of recycle it. In addition, recycled aggregates and normal aggregates were immersed in epoxy resin and put inconcrete mixtures with 0%, 5%, 10% and 20% which affected the concrete mixtures properties. The strength of the concrete for both normal and recycled aggregates has increased after immersed the aggregates in epoxy resin. The percentage of water absorption and the coefficient of water permeability decreased with the increasing of the normal and the recycled aggregates immersed in epoxy resin. Generally the tests which have been conducted to the concrete mixtures have a significant results after using the epoxy resin with both normal and recycled aggregates.

Full Text Available Nondestructive testing technology is essential in the quality inspection of repair, alteration, and renovation of the existing engineering, especially for concrete structure in severe environment. The objective of this work is to deal with the behavior of ultrasonic velocity and mechanical properties of plain concrete and air-entrained concrete subjected to freeze-thaw cycles (F-T-C. The ultrasonic velocity and mechanical properties (tensile strength, compressive strength, cubic compressive strength, and splitting strength of C30 air-entrained concrete and plain concrete with different water-cement ratio (water-cement ratio was 0.55, 0.45, and 0.50, resp. after F-T cycles were measured. The influences of F-T cycles on ultrasonic velocity and mechanical properties of C30 air-entrained concrete and plain concrete were analyzed. And the relationship between mechanical properties and ultrasonic velocity was established. The experimental results can be useful for the design of new concrete structure, maintenance and life prediction of existing concrete structure such as offshore platform and concrete dock wall.

A physio-chemical model for the simulation of reinforcement corrosion inconcrete struc-tures was developed. The model allows for simulation of initiation and subsequent propaga-tion of reinforcement corrosion. Corrosion is assumed to be initiated once a defined critical chloride threshold...... is reached causing the formation of anodic and cathodic regions along the reinforcement. Critical chloride thresholds, randomly distributed along the reinforcement sur-face, link the initiation and propagation phase of reinforcement corrosion. To demonstrate the potential use of the developed model......, a numerical example is pre-sented, that illustrates the formation of corrosion cells as well as propagation of corrosion in a reinforced concrete structure....

In this paper, the pore structure characterization of concrete exposed to deionised water and 5% NaCl solution was evaluated using mercury intrusion porosity (MIP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effects of calcium leaching, fly ash incorporation, and chloride ions on the evolution of pore structure characteristics were investigated. The results demonstrate that: (i) in ordinary concrete without any fly ash, the leaching effect of the cement products is mo...

Full Text Available Concrete is a widely used construction material around the world, and its properties have been undergoing changes through technological advancement. Numerous types of concrete have been developed to enhance the different properties of concrete. So far, this development can be divided into four stages. The earliest is the traditional normal strength concrete which is composed of only four constituent materials, which are cement, water, fine and coarse aggregates. With a fast population growth and a higher demand for housing and infrastructure, accompanied by recent developments in civil engineering, such as high-rise buildings and long-span bridges, higher compressive strength concrete was needed. At the beginning, reducing the water-cement ratio was the easiest way to achieve the high compressive strength. Thereafter, the fifth ingredient, a water reducing agent or super plasticizer, was indispensable. However, sometimes the compressive strength was not as important as some other properties, such as low permeability, durability and workability. Thus, high performance concrete was proposed and widely studied at the end of the last century. Currently, high-performance concrete is used in massive volumes due to its technical and economic advantages. Such materials are characterized by improved mechanical and durability properties resulting from the use of chemical and mineral admixtures as well as specialized production processes. This paper reviews the incorporation of mineral admixtures in binary, ternary and quaternary blended mortars inconcrete.

Chloride ion critical content was studied under soaking and cycle of dry and wet conditions,with three electrochemical nondestructive measuring techniques, i e, half-cell potential, A C impedance, and time potential. The experimental results show that chloride ion critical content is primarily determined by the water cement ratio, while for the same concrete mixture the chloride ion critical content in soaking conditions is larger than that in a cycle of dry and wet conditions.

The influence of binder composition and pore structure of concrete on chloride diffusion coefficient inconcrete were investigated by the natural immersion test, MIP test, SEM and EDS test, respectively. The experimental results showed that the effect of binder composition on chloride diffusion coefficient was the comprehensive result of concrete pore structure and binder hydration products, and the porosity and pore size distribution were the main factors that influence the changes of diffusion coefficient. The chloride diffusion coefficient decreased with increasing the curing temperature and the relative humidity. The hydration degree were promoted by improving curing temperatures, and then the porosity of concrete decreased and the proportion of gel pore and transitional pore increased, respectively. But the water evaporation decreased with increasing the relative humidity and then decreased porosity and increased the proportion of gel pore and transitional pore. Additionally, The chloride diffusion coefficient of concrete got the lower value when the appropriate replacement of fly ash in the ranges of 10%-20%, when the double-adding fly ash and slag content was 50%. The porosity increased and the ratio of C/S in C-S-H decreased with further increasing the fly ash content, which led to increase the chloride diffusion coefficient inconcrete.

Concrete is a component of coherent transition between a concrete base and a wooden construction. The structure is based on a quantity of investigations of the design possibilities that arise when combining digital fabrication tools and material capacities.Through tangible experiments the project discusses materiality and digitally controlled fabrications tools as direct expansions of the architect’s digital drawing and workflow. The project sees this expansion as an opportunity to connect th...

A comprehensive investigation was performed for repairing the different types of cracks appearing on the surface or inside the concrete lining at vadous depths. The mate-rial properties used in grouting and two methods for crack repair were discussed in details,and consequently reliable repair measures were proposed and implemented. It is a better choice to adopt the hole-drilling method for the relatively regular crack. The grouting pres-sure should not be too high and it is generally between 0.4～0.6 MPa. For the second time grouting, the pressure maybe increased to 0.8 MPa. Other method is the pasting nozzles method which is more suitable for irregular cracks such as cracks with intensive density and crossing cracks. Its grouting pressure is generally between 0.6～1.0 MPa. The in-situ tests in Three Gorges Project demonstrate favorably the feasibility and applicability of the proposed methods for crack repair within the lining concrete.

Expanded polystyrene waste in a granular form was used as a lightweight aggregate in order to produce lightweight concretë Lightweight EPS concrete composites were produced by replacing the coarse aggregate, either partially or fully with equal volume of EPS aggregates. The coarse aggregate replacements levels used were 25, 50, 75, and 100%, which corresponded to (9.20, 18.40, 27.60, and 36.8%) from total volume. The investigation is directed towards the development and performance evaluation of the concrete composites containing EPS aggregates, without addition of either bonding additives, or super-plasticizers on some concrete properties such as flexure strength, water absorption and change in length (or shrinkage). Experimental results showed that a density reduction of 12% caused flexure strength to decrease by 25.3% at a replacement level of 25% EPS. However, the reduction percentage strongly depends upon the replacement level of EPS granules. Moreover, the lower strength concretes showed a higher water absorption values compared to higher strength concrete, i.e., increasing the volume percentage of EPS increases the water absorption as well as the negative strain (shrinkage). The negative strain was higher at concretes of lower density (containing a high amount of EPS aggregate). The water to cement ratio of EPS aggregate concrete is found to be slightly lower than that of conventional concrete.

Concretes formulated with slag as a partial replacement for cement were used to evaluate the corrosion behavior of steel embedded inconcrete, resistivity, and the compressive strength of the concrete. Corrosion rates and pitting corrosion of steel inconcrete with up to 30% slag and exposed to sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions decreased. Slag-blended cement concrete increased concrete resistivity. A water-to-cement ratio <0.55 and submersion inwater for a period of 18 days gave the best chloride (Cl{sup {minus}}) diffusion resistance from the external salt solutions. Compressive strength of the concrete decreased with addition of slag in the early ages of the concrete. After 5 months of age, compressive strength of the concrete increased with addition of slag. This trend continued with up to 30% slag addition.

Full Text Available Concrete is a common material that is widely used in construction industry. Cement is the main material component for producing concrete but its production has lead into CO2 emission. This work presents a study on Micronised Biomass Silica (MBS that can be used as pozzolan material which can enhance the quality of concrete. The material can be produced from a by-product of biomass agricultural waste but for this study rice husk has been used. From the chemical analysis, MBS has a chemical composition that is fulfill the standard requirement for becoming pozzolan material. The result of MBS concrete shows that the MBS material can enhance the performance of concrete by increasing the compressive strength development and reducing the water permeability. The drawback of MBS is the workability of fresh concrete but can be rectify by using superplasticizer. By replacing up to 12% of cement, MBS material gives the highest performance in term of strength and permeability of the concrete.

Monitoring the water content and detecting the presence of soluble salts inconcrete is a key issue for its maintenance. Evanescent field dielectrometry, originally developed for the diagnostics of frescoes and mural paintings, is proposed as a tool for monitoring the decay of cement-based materials. A measuring system, based on a scalar network analyzer and a resonant probe, has been realized and tested on concrete samples taken from historical buildings in France or purposely developed in the laboratory. Measurements on water-saturated and oven-dry samples provide the basis for calibrating the instrument for on site monitoring of concrete historical buildings, sculptures and cement-based artifacts.

Full Text Available In this paper, the pore structure characterization of concrete exposed to deionised water and 5% NaCl solution was evaluated using mercury intrusion porosity (MIP, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD. The effects of calcium leaching, fly ash incorporation, and chloride ions on the evolution of pore structure characteristics were investigated. The results demonstrate that: (i in ordinary concrete without any fly ash, the leaching effect of the cement products is more evident than the cement hydration effect. From the experimental data, Ca(OH2 is leached considerably with the increase in immersion time. The pore structure of concrete can also be affected by the formation of an oriented structure of waterinconcrete materials; (ii incorporation of fly ash makes a difference for the performance of concrete submersed in solutions as the total porosity and the pore connectivity can be lower. Especially when the dosage of fly ash is up to 30%, the pores with the diameter of larger than 100 nm show significant decrease. It demonstrates that the pore properties are improved by fly ash, which enhances the resistance against the calcium leaching; (iii chlorides have a significant impact on microstructure of concrete materials because of the chemical interactions between the chlorides and cement hydrates.

Full Text Available Pervious concrete was introduced in America in 2003, popularized by Dan Brown and used as a rigid pavement in the open parking lot. Rigid pavement using pervious concrete can absorb waterin the surface to go straight through the concrete to the ground below.This water flow is one of the benefit of using the pervious concrete. Using of wastes such as broken roof and ceramics tiles are not commonly used in Indonesia. Utilization these kind of wastes is predicted lower the compressive strength of pervious concrete as they are used as a substitute for coarse aggregate.In this research, pervious concrete is made using a mixture of the fragment of ceramics and roof tiles.This research using broken ceramics and roof tiles with a grain size that loose from 38 mm sieve, retained on 19 mm sieve and the coarse aggregate from crushed stone that loose 12.5 mm sieve, retained on 9.5 mm sieve. The water cement ratio is 0.3 and to assist the mixing process, the addition of addictive in pervious concrete is used.The size of coarse aggregate used in the mixture affects the strength of pervious concrete. The larger the size of aggregate, the obtained compressive strength becomes smaller. It also affects the density of pervious concrete. The using of mixture of ceramics and roof tiles only reduce 2 MPa of pervious concrete compressive strength so this mixture can be used as a substitute for coarse aggregate with a maximum portion of 30 %. The high porosity of the specimens causes the reduction of pervious concrete density that affect the compressive strength. This high level of porosity can be seen from the high level of water absorption that exceed the required limit of water infiltration.

Pervious concrete was introduced in America in 2003, popularized by Dan Brown and used as a rigid pavement in the open parking lot. Rigid pavement using pervious concrete can absorb waterin the surface to go straight through the concrete to the ground below.This water flow is one of the benefit of using the pervious concrete. Using of wastes such as broken roof and ceramics tiles are not commonly used in Indonesia. Utilization these kind of wastes is predicted lower the compressive strength of pervious concrete as they are used as a substitute for coarse aggregate.In this research, pervious concrete is made using a mixture of the fragment of ceramics and roof tiles.This research using broken ceramics and roof tiles with a grain size that loose from 38 mm sieve, retained on 19 mm sieve and the coarse aggregate from crushed stone that loose 12.5 mm sieve, retained on 9.5 mm sieve. The water cement ratio is 0.3 and to assist the mixing process, the addition of addictive in pervious concrete is used.The size of coarse aggregate used in the mixture affects the strength of pervious concrete. The larger the size of aggregate, the obtained compressive strength becomes smaller. It also affects the density of pervious concrete. The using of mixture of ceramics and roof tiles only reduce 2 MPa of pervious concrete compressive strength so this mixture can be used as a substitute for coarse aggregate with a maximum portion of 30 %. The high porosity of the specimens causes the reduction of pervious concrete density that affect the compressive strength. This high level of porosity can be seen from the high level of water absorption that exceed the required limit of water infiltration.

Recently, high-strength lightweight concrete has become an interesting building material for the offshore oil industry. This doctoral thesis presents an experimental investigation of the effect of water absorption by three different types of lightweight aggregates. One type did not show any water absorption ability at all and so represented no problem to the concrete production. For the two other high-strength aggregates, which were of more conventional types, the water absorption depended not only on the properties of the aggregates, but also on the concrete mixing procedure and the properties of the fresh cement paste. When water absorbing lightweight aggregate was used in a dry condition, the workability of the concrete was significantly reduced by the water absorption of the aggregate. This effect was not present when prewetted aggregate was used. The water absorption by the lightweight aggregate also affected the early compressive strength of concrete. After one day, dry aggregate gave on the average 10 MPa higher compressive strength than did prewetted aggregate. The strength-density ratio was affected by the moisture condition of the aggregate. Dry lightweight aggregate gave 9 MPa higher compressive strength at a density of 2000 kg/m{sup 3} compared to that of prewetted aggregate. The water absorption by the lightweight also affected the microstructure of the hardened concrete. Dry lightweight aggregate gave a slightly better microstructure than normal weight aggregate. The results indicate that the use of prewetted aggregate adversely affected the transition zone between the aggregate and the cement paste. 69 refs., 58 figs., 42 tabs.

Concrete is a material widely used in civil engineering. Thus the knowledge of its mechanical behaviour is a major safety issue to evaluate the ability of a structure to resist to an intense dynamic loading. In this study, two experimental techniques have been applied to a micro-concrete and a common concrete to assess the influence of the aggregate size on the dynamic response. First, spalling tests on dry and wet specimens have been performed to characterize the tensile strength of concrete at strain rates in the range 30 - 150/s. Then, edge-on impact tests in sarcophagus configuration have been conducted. The cracking pattern of the micro-concrete and the concrete plates in wet and dry conditions have been compared to appraise the influence of aggregate size and free water on the damaging process.

Like all structures, water pressure pipelines have a finite life. Pipelines will eventually begin to fail, leaving the pipeline owner to deal with the quandary: what caused this to happen, can we prevent future failures, must we replace this structure now? The causes for pipeline failure include defects and anomalies which may occur in any phase of a pipeline's life: during the engineering, the manufacture, the construction, or the operation. Failure may simply be the result of environmental conditions or old age. In the past five years, passive acoustic emission detection technology has been adapted to concrete pressure pipelines. This method of inspection is based on the caustic emissions made by the prestressed reinforcing wire as it releases its energy. A recently patented method of using this technology relies on a series of remote, independent test stations to detect, record and time-stamp these acoustic emissions. A low-powered, high- performance embedded processor system makes use of global positioning system time signals to synchronize multiple stations. These methods are re-defining the standard of care of water pressure pipelines. This paper describes pipeline failure mechanisms and a state-of-the-art data sampling system which has been developed to evaluate pipeline structural integrity.

The mechanical properties of the "Road Directorate Concrete" at early ages are studied. Creep in tension at 24 and 72 maturity hours are measured on dogbone shaped specimens. The development of tensile modulus of elasticity and strength are measured with a method developed here. The results...... are compared to compression values and splitting strengths. It is found that the properties of creep in tension are similar to the properties in compression. Further the influence form temperature on creep is found to be significant....

The hydration characteristics of pre-cast concrete considering the effects of effective initial steam-curing and water-curing duration were measured and analyzed with XRD, TG, X-ray CT, SEM-BSE and MIP techniques. The results show that the effective initial steam-curing duration for pre-cast concrete with lower water-binder ratio was 10 14 h at 50 °C and the initial water-curing duration was 7 14 d. And the hydration evolution of cement, fly ash and slag in pre-cast concrete was obtained respectively by combining the hydrochlorides and EDTA selecting dissolution methods, based on which the contents of hydrated and anhydrate inconcrete were calculated and the corresponding dynamic capillary porosity was also determined. Moreover, the comparison between calculated results and experimental ones indicates that the proposed evolution models of microscopic characteristics corresponding to hydration kinetics of cemented materials could be adopted to predict the developing trend of capillary porosity and hydration-products content in pre-cast concrete with fly ash and slag under certain curing conditions.

The current study mainly investigated the influence of different tests on the abrasion resistance of concrete mixed with steel fibers and silica fume. The abrasion resistance was assessed at 28, 56 and 91 days on concretes with water-binder ratios of 0.35 and 0.55 where in some mixes silica fume was substituted by 5 % of cement by weight. Steel fibers of 0.5 % and 1.0 % of concrete volume were also added into the test concrete by replacement of coarse and fine aggregates. The results showed t...

Full Text Available Recycled asphalt pavement (RAP is the reclaimed and reprocessed pavement material containing asphalt and aggregate. Most RAP is recycled back into pavements, and as a result there is a general lack of data pertaining to the mechanical properties for RAP in other possible applications such as Portland cement concrete. In the present study, some mechanical properties of Portland cement concrete containing RAP as coarse aggregate were investigated in the laboratory. Six concrete mixes of widely differing water/cement ratios and mix proportions were made using RAP as coarse aggregate. The properties tested include the physical properties of the RAP aggregate, the compressive and flexural strengths of the concrete. These properties were compared with those of similar concretes made with natural gravel aggregate. Results of the tests suggest that the strength of concrete made from RAP is dependent on the bond strength of the asphalt-mortar (asphalt binder-sand-filler matrix coatings on the aggregates and may not produce concrete with compressive strength above 25 MPa. However, for middle and low strength concrete, the material was found to compare favorably with natural gravel aggregate.

The corrosion of two types of construction steels, ST60Mn and RST37-2♦, in a low cyanide concentration environment (cassava juice) and embedded inconcrete had been studied. The ST60 Mn was found to be more corrosion resistant in both ordinary water and the cassava juice environment. The cyanide in cassava juice does not attack the steel but it provides an environment of lower pH around the steel in the concrete which leads to breakdown of the passivating film provided by hydroxyl ions from cement. Other factors such as the curing time of the concrete also affect the corrosion rates of the steel in the concrete. The corrosion rate of the steel directly exposed to cassava juice i.e., steel not embedded inconcrete is about twice that inconcrete. Long exposure of concrete structure to cassava processing effluent might result in deterioration of such structures. Careful attention should therefore be paid to disposal of cassava processing effluents, especially in a country like Nigeria where such processing is now on the increase.

混凝土内部微裂缝的产生或贯通,加快了水及侵蚀性介质侵入混凝土内部的速度,是引起混凝土性能劣化和结构耐久性不足的重要原因。开展了混凝土试件的轴心受拉、受压试验,采用持载、反复加载方式,对混凝土试块分别加载至极限荷载的70%、80%、90%后卸载。为了实现吸水过程的连续性,利用改进后的吸水装置开展损伤混凝土的累积吸水量测试试验。与未加载试件的吸水结果对比分析表明,荷载水平是影响混凝土毛细吸水速率的重要因素。对不同荷载水平的累积吸水曲线 i-t 1/2,采用线性拟合方法可得到混凝土的初始吸水率(S 1)和后期吸水率(S 2)。根据吸水率试验结果,结合非饱和毛细吸水理论模型,引入Bolzmann 变量,建立了损伤混凝土内相对含水量分布的预测分析方法,为开展混凝土内有害介质(如氯离子或者硫酸根离子等)的传输分析提供了工具。%It is generally recognized that the formation or interconnection of microcracks within concrete is the important cause for deterioration of the concrete performance and poor durability of structure,which speeds up water and aggressive agents to transport into concrete.The experiments of concrete specimens are firstly carried out under axial tensile and compressive loading and subjected to either sustained or repeated loads with three load levels of 70%,80% and 90% of the ultimate strength.After unloading,in order to realize the continuity of the suction process,the samples are then moved to an improved gravimetrical device for cumulative water measurement.Compared with the results of unloading specimen,it is indicated that the loading-induced damage (microcracks)is the key factor to influence the capillary water absorption of concrete.By linearly fitting the two portions of the cumulative water absorption curve i-t 1/2 with different load levels,the initial and the second sorptivities S 1 and S 2

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with multiple internal reflection mode (FTIR-MIR) has been applied for the first time to measure the permeability of concrete. The effect of water-cement ratio and curing time on the microstructure and permeability of concrete was studied. Also, the penetration process of H2O and SO4(2-) through the concrete specimens was investigated. The results indicated that the movement of H2O through unsaturated concrete was mainly caused by capillary suction and the movement of SO4(2-) through unsaturated concrete should take into account diffusion, advection caused by a capillary suction flow and the reaction between SO4(2-) and the cement hydration products. The permeability of concrete was determined by its microstructure. With the decrease inwater-cement ratio and the increase in curing time, the porosity and the connectivity of pores inconcrete decreased, which resulted in the decrease of concrete permeability.

Service life of reinforced concrete structures usually was designed on the basis of one selected deteriorating mechanism as for instance carbonation, chloride penetration, and frost action. It could be shown in the meantime by numerous authors, however, that combined actions such as chloride penetration under mechanical load or chloride penetration in combination with freeze-thaw cycles may shorten the service life of reinforced concrete structures more than individual processes acting alone. We have found that chloride penetration is accelerated significantly by freeze-thaw cycles. Frost damage not only reduces mechanical strength and elastic modulus but migration of chloride is facilitated in the damaged pore structure. Chloride penetration can be retarded by the addition of silane emulsion to the fresh concrete. In this way Integral Water Repellent Concrete (IWRC) can be produced. Migration of water and ions dissolved inwater can not be prevented by integral water repellent treatment but it is slowed down. The combination of damage mechanisms and the protective measures by integral water repellent treatment have to be taken into consideration in realistic service life prediction and design.

Full Text Available This study is an extension of previous researches on mortars with mineral admixtures and super-plasticizers. In this way, the same methodology was applied to concretes and the use of mineral admixture was limited to low cost materials available in Algeria as limestone, pozzolan and blast furnace slag, with current cement and super-plasticizer. The experimental methodology used was based on the volume substitution of the cement by admixtures in mixtures with the absolute volume of the solid phases and workability preserved constant. The main results achieved showed that the super-plasticizer demand of concretes depends on the nature and the quantity of the incorporated admixture. The combined use of admixtures and super-plasticizer has generally a favourable effect on compressive strengths at 07 and 28 days at low rates of cement substitution, which vary significantly with the nature, fineness and quantity of the used admixtures. At 07 days, limestone admixtures give better improvements and reach more than 20 % of gain to the compressive strength of the reference concrete with no admixtures or super-plasticizer, at 10 % of the cement substitution and still better until 30 %. At 28 days, blast furnace slag admixtures give better improvements at 28 days and reach more than 20 % of gain to the compressive strength of the reference concrete at 20 % of the cement substitution and still better until 30 %. This contribution to the compressive strength is explained on the one hand by the reduction of the quantity of waterin the mixtures at the same consistency, by the use of the super-plasticizer and on another hand by the activity of Limestone admixtures at early ages and to the latent hydraulic properties of blast furnace slag at 28 days.

Concretes used in marine environment are generally under the cyclic effect of CO2 and chloride ions (Cl-). To date, the influence of carbonation on ingress of chloride ions inconcretes has been widely studied; in comparison, study on the influence of Cl- on the progress of carbonation is limited. During the study, concretes were exposed to independent and combined mechanisms of carbonation and chloride ingress regimes. Profiles of apparent pH and chloride concentration were used to indicate ...

Full Text Available This study documents the results of an experimental work carried out to investigate the effect of superplasticizer and amount of extra water on strength and workability properties of Fly ash-based Selfcompacting geopolymer concrete. The experiments were conducted by varying the amount of extra water and dosage of superplasticizer. A total of nine mixtures with superplasticizer content varying from 3 to 7% and extra water ranging from 10 to 20% of the mass of fly ash were prepared and tested. The essential workability properties of the freshly prepared concrete such as filling ability, passing ability and segregation resistance were evaluated by using Slump flow, T50 slump flow, V-funnel, L-box and J-ring test methods. The compressive strength tests were carried out at 1, 3, 7 and 28 days. Test results indicated that extra water and superplasticizer are key parameters and play an important role in the development of self-compacting geopolymer concrete. Workability of self-compacting geopolymer concrete was dependent on the amount of extra water and dosage of superplasticizer. With the increase in amount of extra water and superplasticizer, the workability was improved. However, the addition of water beyond 15% resulted in bleeding as well as segregation and decreased the compressive strength of the concrete. The compressive strength of self-compacting geopolymer concrete was significantly decreased as the amount of extra water exceeded 12% by mass of Fly ash.

The essay describes the rise of concrete poetry in Denmark in the 1960s, the intermedial roots of concrete poetry, concrete poetry as open work (in Eco's sense), the main Danish poets, the development of concrete poetry into systemic writing and the longer cultural perspectives of concrete poetry...

This paper presents observations made on the use of self-compacting concrete for pre-cast elements at Byggebjerg Beton A/S during the last 3 years. The elements include L- and sandwich elements and are mainly produced for agriculture purposes. In general, the flow properties and air content...... of the concrete to achieve a good surface quality with a limited number of blowholes. For horizontal castings it is important to keep the concrete flowing to avoid casting joints. Blocking is avoided by using the right type of spacers and a maximum size aggregate of 8mm. However, if the concrete has to flow over...

The reported study looked at the effect of reducing free water contents, and thereby binder contents, and thereby binder contents, on the ingress of chloride inconcrete. Concretes with equal water/binder ratio (and design strength), but with water contents reduced by up to 30 liters/m{sup 3}, were tested for chloride diffusion (D) and penetration. The quality of the microstructure was inferred from initial surface absorption tests (ISAT). The results show no practical difference in chloride durability between the corresponding concretes, and that reducing the binder content, (providing that the water/binder ratio is maintained) is not likely to be detrimental. However, the results reported underline the importance of binder type, in this case PFA. Implications of the results are discussed and, in light of the findings, whether specifications which demand minimum cement contents are justified.

Full Text Available Although optical fiber sensors have been developed for 30 years, there is a gap between lab experiments and field applications. This article focuses on specific methods developed to evaluate the whole sensing chain, with an emphasis on (i commercially-available optoelectronic instruments and (ii sensing cable. A number of additional considerations for a successful pairing of these two must be taken into account for successful field applications. These considerations are further developed within this article and illustrated with practical applications of water leakage detection in dikes and concrete structures monitoring, making use of distributed temperature and strain sensing based on Rayleigh, Raman, and Brillouin scattering in optical fibers. They include an adequate choice of working wavelengths, dedicated localization processes, choices of connector type, and further include a useful selection of traditional reference sensors to be installed nearby the optical fiber sensors, as well as temperature compensation in case of strain sensing.

Full Text Available Electric-arc furnace dust (EAFD is a by-product of steel production and recycling. This fine-grained material contains high amounts of zinc and iron as well as significant amounts of potentially toxic elements such as lead, cadmium and chromium. Therefore, the treatment and stabilization of this industrial residue is necessary. Concrete is a well-known suitable environment for stabilization/solidification of materials which have leachable elements in need of fixation. The effect of the EAFD content on the mechanical and chemical performance of Portland cement concrete is investigated in this paper. The effect of the EAFD content on the setting time of cement slurry was also analyzed. The axial compressive strength of the concrete samples increases with the EAFD addition in the range of 10 to 20 wt. (% EAFD; also the tensile strength increases with the EAFD addition. An increase in EAFD content significantly increases the setting time of the concrete. The acetic acid leaching and water solubilization tests indicate low mobility of the potentially toxic elements from the EAFD concrete composite. The results of the immersion tests show that the addition of EAFD to the concrete seems to reduce chloride penetration, which may help prevent pitting corrosion in reinforced concrete.

The high water-cement ratio concrete specimens under biaxial compression that completed in a triaxial testing machine were experimentally studied.Strength and deformations of plain concrete specimens after 0,25,50 cycles of freeze-thaw.Influences of freeze-thaw cycles and stress ratio on the peak stress and deformation of this point were analyzed aecording to the experimental results.Based on the test data,the failure criterion expressed in terms of principal stress after difierent cycles of freeze-thaw,and the failure criterion with consideration of the influence of freeze-thaw cycle and sffess ratio were proposed respectively.

The measurement of the saturated water permeability of concrete is of great interest, but with the rapid improvements in properties of high performance concretes, the most common problem is the ability and accuracy of measuring the very small flow volumes. A high pressure triaxial cell with improved measurement sensitivity, capable of continuously measuring saturated water permeability of the order of < 10[sup [minus]15] m/s, is presented in this paper.

Full Text Available These project works assess on the study of the workability and mechanical strength properties of the concrete reinforced with industrialized waste fibers or the recycled fibers. In each lathe industries wastes are available in form of steel scraps are yield by the lathe machines in process of finishing of different machines parts and dumping of these wastes in the barren soil contaminating the soil and ground water that builds an unhealthy environment. Now a day’s these steel scraps as a waste products used by innovative construction industry and also in transportation and highway industry. In addition to get sustainable progress and environmental remuneration, lathe scrap as worn-recycle fibers with concrete are likely to be used. When the steel scrap reinforced inconcrete it acquire a term; fiber reinforced concrete and steel fibers inconcrete defined as steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC.Different experimental studies are done to identify about fresh and hardened concrete properties of steel scrap fiber reinforced concrete (SSFRC and their mechanical properties are found to be increase due to the addition of steel scrap inconcrete i.e. compressive strength, flexural strength, impact strength, fatigue strength and split tensile strength were increased but up to 0.5-2% scrap content . When compared with usual concrete to SSFRC, flexural strength increases by 40% and considerable increases in tensile and compressive strength. These steel scrap also aid to improve the shrinkage reduction, cracking resistance i.e. preventing crack propagation and modulus of elasticity. The workability of fresh SSFRC are carried out by using slump test but it restricted to less scrap contents. This work focuses on the enhancement of structural strength and improvement in fatigue life of concrete pavements by reuse of scrap steel inconcrete. These concrete roads with SSFRC promises an appreciably eminent design life, offer superior serviceability and

Assessing long-term performance of Category 3 waste cement grouts for radionuclide encasement requires knowledge of the radionuclide-cement interactions and mechanisms of retention (i.e., sorption or precipitation); the mechanism of contaminant release; the significance of contaminant release pathways; how wasteform performance is affected by the full range of environmental conditions within the disposal facility; the process of wasteform aging under conditions that are representative of processes occurring in response to changing environmental conditions within the disposal facility; the effect of wasteform aging on chemical, physical, and radiological properties; and the associated impact on contaminant release. This knowledge will enable accurate prediction of radionuclide fate when the wasteforms come in contact with groundwater. Data collected throughout the course of this work will be used to quantify the efficacy of concrete wasteforms, similar to those used in the disposal of LLW and MLLW, for the immobilization of key radionuclides (i.e., uranium, technetium, and iodine). Data collected will also be used to quantify the physical and chemical properties of the concrete affecting radionuclide retention.

Full Text Available Gradation plays an important role in the workability, segregation, and pump ability of concrete. Uniformly distributed aggregates require less paste which will also decrease bleeding, creep and shrinkage while producing better workability, more durable concrete and higher packing. This attempt looks at the effect of particle size distribution pattern for five types of gravel aggregate forms, angular, elongated, smooth rounded, irregular and flaky as related to the strength of concrete produced. Different forms of naturally existing gravel aggregate were collected from a particular location and tests were carried out on them to determine their gradation. Based on the gradation the aggregates were used to prepare different samples of grade 20 concrete with water-cement ratio of 0.5. The particle size distribution resulted in coefficients of uniformity ranging from 1.24 to 1.44. The granite aggregate, which serves as a reference, had a coefficient of uniformity of 1.47. Tests were conducted on fresh and hardened concrete cube samples. The concrete sample CT5 recorded a slump of 32mm and highest compressive strength value of 21.7 N/mm2, among the concrete produced from different forms of gravel.

The aim of the investigation reported in this paper is to clarify to what extent damages in reinforced concrete can be detected by estimating changes in the vibrational properties. A series of damages were introduced by applying static load cycles of increasing magnitude to two concrete beams...

The paper describes the comprehensive concrete durability studies carried out for deciding the specifications for the MCIA contract for construction of 4 km of underground metro from Vishwa Vidyalaya station to Kashmere Gate station in India. The study involved adiabatic concrete temperature measurement tests to know the heat generation and temperature rising properties inside concrete mass. The paper describes the background for selection of fly ash as a part replacement up to 30% of cement inconcrete including determination of specification, identification of source, collection and transportation by bulk carrier and transfer to storage silo at the concrete batching plant. Control of temperature of concrete during production and after placement requires detailed arrangements for cooling aggregates and water at batching plant and thermal insulation along with curing to the concrete placed at site. Fully tanked membrane waterproofing and special waterproofing details at construction joints also contribute towards achieving the high performance durable concrete structure. 3 refs., 6 figs., 11 tabs.

Physical particle packing is becoming a hot topic inconcrete technology as more and more types of granular materials are used inconcrete either for ecological or for engineering purposes. Although various analytical methods have been developed for optimum mixture design, comprehensive information

Physical particle packing is becoming a hot topic inconcrete technology as more and more types of granular materials are used inconcrete either for ecological or for engineering purposes. Although various analytical methods have been developed for optimum mixture design, comprehensive information

Concrete slurry waste (CSW) is generated from ready-mixed concrete plants during concrete production and is classified as a corrosive hazardous material. If it is disposed of at landfills, it would cause detrimental effects for our surrounding environment and ecosystems due to its high pH value as well as heavy metal contamination and accumulation. A new method in this study has been introduced to effectively reuse CSW in new construction products. In this method, the calcium-silicate rich CSW in the fresh state was considered as a cementitious paste as well as a CO2 capture medium. The experimental results showed that the pH values of the collected CSWs stored for 28 days ranged from 12.5 to 13.0 and a drastic decrease of pH value was detected after accelerated mineral carbonation. The theoretically calculated CO2 sequestration extent of CSWs was from 27.05% to 31.23%. The practical water to solid ratio in the fresh CSW varied from 0.76 to 1.12, which had a significant impact on the compressive strength of the mixture with CSWs. After subjecting to accelerated mineral carbonation, rapid initial strength development and lower drying shrinkage for the prepared concrete mixture were achieved.

Full Text Available The investigation reported in this paper is carried out to study the feasibility of using crushed bricks to substitute the coarse aggregate (gravel inconcrete. Two types of concrete mixing are prepared. The first one is a mixture of 1:2:4 without crushed bricks and is used as a reference mixture .The second one is made of different weight of crushed bricks (as a percentage from the weight of the coarse aggregate. A total of 30 numbers of concrete specimens are casted with and without crushed bricks and tested under compression and split tension as per relevant to British standard specifications.Test results indicated that using crushed bricks reduces the strength of concrete. Also, the percentage of water to cement ratio increases for constant slump when the percentage of crushed bricks increased.

Full Text Available The use of recycled aggregates in structural concrete production has the inconvenience of increasing the fluid transport properties, such as porosity, sorptivity, and permeability, which reduces the resistance against penetration of environmental loads such as carbon dioxide and chloride ion. In this paper, behavior of ten concrete mixtures with different percentages of coarse aggregate replacement was studied. The recycled material was recovered by crushing of concrete rubble and had high absorption values. The results showed that it is possible to achieve good resistance to carbonation and chloride penetration with up to 50% replacement of recycled coarse aggregate for 0.5 water/cement ratio. Finally, new indexes for porosity and sorptivity were proposed to assess the quality of concrete.

This study presents earthquake performance analysis of the Torul Concrete-Faced Rockfill (CFR) Dam with two-dimensional dam-soil and dam-soil-reservoir finite element models. The Lagrangian approach was used with fluid elements to model impounded water. The interface elements were used to simulate the slippage between the concrete face slab and the rockfill. The horizontal component of the 1992 Erzincan earthquake, with a peak ground acceleration of 0.515g, was considered in time-history analysis. The Drucker-Prager model was preferred in nonlinear analysis of the concrete slab, rockfill and foundation soil. The maximum principal stresses and the maximum displacements in two opposite directions were compared by the height of the concrete slab according to linear time-history analysis to reveal the effect of reservoir water. The changes of critical displacements and principal stresses with time are also shown in this paper. According to linear and nonlinear time-history analysis, the effect of the reservoir water on the earthquake performance of the Torul CFR Dam was investigated and the possible damage situation was examined. The results show that the hydrodynamic pressure of reservoir water leads to an increase in the maximum displacements and principal stresses of the dam and reduces the earthquake performance of the dam. Although the linear time-history analysis demonstrates that the earthquake causes a momentous damage to the concrete slab of the Torul CFR Dam, the nonlinear time-history analysis shows that no evident damage occurs in either reservoir case.

Concrete is commonly used in protective and civil structures, like tunnels and storage buildings. For the design and reliable safety assessment of such structures it is very important to know the behaviour of concrete under static loading conditions as well as under impulsive loading. To understand

Full Text Available In general, cement based concrete can be replaced by low calcium fly-ash based geopolymer concrete regarding the adverse effect of the manufacture of ordinary Portland cement on environment. Nowadays, nano technology has an important role in the field of construction industries. It has been seen that several properties of cement based concrete are affected by different nano materials. As low calcium fly-ash based geopolymer concrete is an alternate option for cement based concrete, nano materials may also have some influence on it. An experimental program has been taken up on low calcium fly-ash based M25 grade geopolymer concrete having 16 (M concentration of activator liquid. Different percentage of nano materials viz. nano silica, carbon nano tube, titanium di-oxide were also used to investigate the effect of nano materials on geopolymer concrete. Geopolymer concrete with 1% titanium di-oxide shows appreciable improvement in compressive strength although pH remains almost same in all cases.

License renewal up to 60 years and the possibility of subsequent license renewal to 80 years has established a renewed focus on long-term aging of nuclear generating stations materials, and recently, on concrete. Large irreplaceable sections of most nuclear generating stations include concrete. The Expanded Materials Degradation Analysis (EMDA), jointly performed by the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Industry, identified the urgent need to develop a consistent knowledge base on irradiation effects inconcrete. Much of the historical mechanical performance data of irradiated concrete does not accurately reflect typical radiation conditions in NPPs or conditions out to 60 or 80 years of radiation exposure. To address these potential gaps in the knowledge base, The Electric Power Research Institute and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are working to disposition radiation damage as a degradation mechanism. This paper outlines the research program within this pathway including: (i) defining the upper bound of the neutron and gamma dose levels expected in the biological shield concrete for extended operation (80 years of operation and beyond), (ii) determining the effects of neutron and gamma irradiation as well as extended time at temperature on concrete, (iii) evaluating opportunities to irradiate prototypical concrete under accelerated neutron and gamma dose levels to establish a conservative bound and share data obtained from different flux, temperature, and fluence levels, (iv) evaluating opportunities to harvest and test irradiated concrete from international NPPs, (v) developing cooperative test programs to improve confidence in the results from the various concretes and research reactors, (vi) furthering the understanding of the effects of radiation on concrete (see companion paper) and (vii) establishing an international collaborative research and information exchange effort to leverage capabilities and knowledge.

By simulation tests of concrete specimens in saturated Ca(OH)2 solution and seawater, and based on micro mechanism analysis, this paper evaluates the stray current corrosion resistance of concrete specimens of dif-ferent mixture ratios, and reaches a conclusion that the capability to resist stray current corrosion of optimally designed concrete mixed with good-quality fly ash and powdered slag is increased by over 5 times more than the reference concrete with the same water to binder ratio, and the service life of such kind of concrete meets the basic requirement of a metro project.

The corrosion of steel inconcrete is mainly due to the chemical reaction between the chloride ions and iron ions. Indeed, this is a serious threaten for reinforced concrete structure, especially for the reinforced concrete structure in the sea. So it is urgent and important to protect concrete against chloride ions corrosion. In this work, we report multilayer concrete can cloak chloride ions. We formulated five kinds of concrete A, B, C, D and E, which are made of different proportion of cement, sand and glue, and fabricated six-layer (ABACAD) cylinder diffusion cloak and background media E. The simulation results show that the six-layer mass diffusion cloak can protect concrete against chloride ions penetration, while the experiment results show that the concentration gradients are parallel and equal outside the outer circle in the diffusion flux lines, the iso-concentration lines are parallel outside the outer circle, and the concentration gradients in the inner circle are smaller than those outside the outer circle.

The corrosion of steel inconcrete is mainly due to the chemical reaction between the chloride ions and iron ions. Indeed, this is a serious threaten for reinforced concrete structure, especially for the reinforced concrete structure in the sea. So it is urgent and important to protect concrete against chloride ions corrosion. In this work, we report multilayer concrete can cloak chloride ions. We formulated five kinds of concrete A, B, C, D and E, which are made of different proportion of cement, sand and glue, and fabricated six-layer (ABACAD) cylinder diffusion cloak and background media E. The simulation results show that the six-layer mass diffusion cloak can protect concrete against chloride ions penetration, while the experiment results show that the concentration gradients are parallel and equal outside the outer circle in the diffusion flux lines, the iso-concentration lines are parallel outside the outer circle, and the concentration gradients in the inner circle are smaller than those outside the outer circle.

Full Text Available ABSTRACTIn inspections of buildings, it is common to find structures that, well before reaching its useful life longer require repairs and reinforcements. This study examined the bond strength between concrete of different ages and between steel and concrete, focusing on the recovery of reinforced concrete structures. To analyze the bond between concrete of different ages, trials with specimens receiving three different types of treatments at the interface between the concrete were performed: brushing; brushing and mortar equal to concrete of substrate and brushing and epoxy layer. Indirect tensile tests and oblique and vertical shear tests at the interface were made . The bond stress between steel and concrete was evaluated by pull out test under the conditions of the bar inserted in the still fresh concrete and when inserted in the hardened concrete with epoxy. Results showed increased bond strength by indirect tensile stress of 15% and 37%; 4% and 12% for the adherence test by oblique shear, and 108% and 178%, for the testing of vertical shear, respectively, for the specimens whose interfaces have received, in addition to brushing, layer of mortar and epoxy bridge, compared to those who received only brushing. Insignificant loss (about 0.52% of bond stress was noticed for pull out test of steel bar when compared with test results of the specimens that had steel bar inserted in the concretein the hardened state with epoxy adhesion bridge, with those who had inserted steel bar in fresh concrete.

The reliability of rubble mound breakwaters depends on the hydraulic stability and the mechanical strength of the armour units. The paper deals with the important aspect of fatigue related to the strength of concrete armour units. Results showing significant fatigue from impact tests with Dolosse...... made of unreinforced and steel fibre reinforced flyash concrete are presented. Moreover universal graphs for fatigue in armour units made of conventional unreinforced concrete exposed to impact load and pulsating load are presented. The effect of fibre reinforcement and the implementation of fatigue...

Full Text Available The addition of a waste (fibers in construction materials, particularly, the concretes is a technique increasingly used, for several reasons, either ecological, or economic, or to improve some properties in a fresh or hardened state. In our work we studied the behavior of the concrete and the mortar containing metallic fibers resulting from the unit BCR which is in Bordj-Menaiel in Algeria (metallic fibers resulting from the rejection at the end of the domestic operation of silvering of the tools and which is stored in plastic bags which are preserved in metal containers. Our work consists to study the behavior of the concretes and the mortars containing these fibers of cement substitution. We noted that the use of these fibers in the concretesin substitution of cement decreases its of compressive strength and flexural strength but to 10% of waste these strength remain acceptable.

flexure.In the first model, the yield zone model, it is assumed that the mean crack distance is a descending function of the reinforcement stress in a crack. Furthermore it is assumed that in certain zones between the cracks the concrete is carrying its full effective tensile strength, i.e. the concrete...... with deformations in reinforced concrete disks subjected to pure shear.A physical model for the shear stress-shear strain behaviour of disks, including tension stiffening, is proposed.In the disk model it is assumed that the tensile principal stress in the concrete decreases linearly from the initiation of cracking...... until a certain load level. At any load level the model can predict the shear strains of the disk and the inclination of the crack system. When regarding tension stiffening this latter parameter will be a function of the load level.The model is compared with experimental data, and in the light...

The principal objective for this licentiate thesis is to develop a methodology and evaluation model in order to make the future relative humidity in a screeded concrete slab predictable. Residual moisture in screeded concrete slabs may redistribute to the top screed surface under semi-permeable flooring, thus elevating the relative humidity, RH, and possibly exceed the critical humidity level. Passing the critical humidity level may result in material damages on the flooring and adhesive. ...

Full Text Available In India, bitumen pavements are commonly used for highways. Due to the increasing traffic intensity, distress such as rutting and cracking of pavements are very common in Indian roads. Under varying seasonal temperature, flexible pavements tend to become soft in summer and brittle in winter. Investigations revealed that properties of concrete can be better than bitumen roads. But now a day‟s concrete roads are used commonly because concrete roads have more life span than the bitumen roads. In large cities now a day‟s concrete roads are used because concrete roads are more durable, strengthen and having more life span than bitumen roads. Waste plastics and E-waste (electronic waste both by domestic and industrial sectors can be used in the production of asphalt mix. Waste plastic, mainly used for packing are made up of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene. Electronic waste, abbreviated as e-waste, consists of discarded old computers, TVs, refrigerators; radios, etc are basically any electrical or electronic appliance that has reached its end of life. An experimental study is made on the utilization of E-waste particles as fine aggregates inconcrete with a percentage replacement ranging from 0 % to 21.5% i.e. (7.5%, 15% and 21.5% on the strength criteria of M30 Concrete. Compressive strength Concrete with and without E- waste plastic as aggregates was observed which exhibits a good strength. The feasibility of utilizing E-waste plastic particles as partial replacement of fine aggregate has been presented. In the present study, compressive strength was investigated for Optimum Cement Content and 7.5% E-plastic content in mix yielded stability and very good in compressive strength of 43 grade cement.

If we want to make something concretein mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, "manipulatives", in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concretein a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own,…

In a nuclear reactor, beta nuclides are released during nuclear reactions. These betas interact with shielding concrete and produces external Bremsstrahlung (EB) radiation. To estimate Bremsstrahlung dose and shield efficiency inconcrete, it is essential to know Bremsstrahlung distribution or spectra. The present work formulated a new method to evaluate the EB spectrum and hence Bremsstrahlung dose of beta nuclides (32P, 89Sr, 90Sr-90Y, 90Y, 91Y, 208Tl, 210Bi, 234Pa and 40K) inconcrete. The Bremsstrahlung yield of these beta nuclides inconcrete is also estimated. The Bremsstrahlung yield inconcrete due to 90Sr-90Y is higher than those of other given nuclides. This estimated spectrum is accurate because it is based on more accurate modified atomic number (Zmod) and Seltzer's data, where an electron-electron interaction is also included. Presented data inconcrete provide a quick and convenient reference for radiation protection. The present methodology can be used to calculate the Bremsstrahlung dose in nuclear shielding materials. It can be quickly employed to give a first pass dose estimate prior to a more detailed experimental study.

This study aims to verify the effect of physically removing the outer surface of contaminated concrete on total contents and on potential mobility of pollutants by means of leaching tests. Reclaimed concrete from 3 industrial sites in Sweden were included: A tar impregnated military storage, a military tar track-depot, as well as concrete constructions used for disposing of pesticide production surplus and residues. Solid materials and leachates from batch and column leaching tests were analysed for metals, Cl, F, SO4, DOC and contents of suspected organic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAH, and pesticides/substances for pesticide production such as phenoxy acids, chlorophenols and chlorocresols, respectively). In case of PAH contaminated concrete, results indicate that removing 1 or 5 mm of the surface lead to total concentrations below the Swedish guidelines for recycling of aggregates and soil in groundwork constructions. 3 out of 4 concrete samples contaminated with pesticides fulfilled Swedish guidelines for contaminated soil. Results from batch and column leaching tests indicated, however, that concentrations above environmental quality standards for certain PAH and phenoxy acids, respectively, might occur at site when the crushed concrete is recycled in groundwork constructions. As leaching tests engaged in the study deviated from leaching test standards with a limited number of samples, the potential impact of the leaching tests' equipment on measured PAH and pesticide leachate concentrations has to be evaluated in future work.

Full Text Available The concrete is made of different ingredients such as cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate but it is a homogeneous material when it is in a harden concrete. The strength of concrete decides the life span of any concrete structure. The factors which affect the strength of concrete are the type of material used, size of aggregate, water cement ratio, improper compaction and improper curing. Curing is one of the major factors in the failure of concrete. Curing is defined as the process of promoting the hydration of cement. The grade used in the manufacture of concrete may be M20, M30 grade. This paper deals with the overview on the tensile strength and flexural strength of concrete when the concrete is exposed to various curing methods such as Water curing (Ponding and Immersion, Air Curing (Dry air curing, and plastic film curing at 3 days, 7 days, 28 days and 56 days. It is studied that the tensile and flexural strength of concrete during immersion method is high when compared with Air curing and plastic film curing. It is found that the water curing is the most effective method of curing with the maximum of 10% increase in tensile strength and 15% increase in flexural strength of concrete when compared with other curing methods. On comparison with self compacting concrete (SCC and Normal cement concrete (NCC under different curing methods the tensile strength and flexural strength of SCC is high than NCC.

Full Text Available Incorporating scrap tyre rubber particles as partial replacement for aggregates has been found to produce concrete with improved ductility, deformability and damping which are desired characteristics of a viable material for enhancing structural response to earthquake vibrations. An analytical study using Drain-2dX was carried out to investigate the response of 4-storey, 3-bay reinforced concrete frames on innovative rubberised concrete deformable foundation models to simulated earthquake scaled to 5 different peak ground accelerations. Stress-strain properties of 3-layers aramid fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP-confinement for concrete incorporating waste rubber from scrap vehicle tyres were used to model the elements of this foundation models. With a partial decoupling of the superstructure from the direct earthquake force, the models showed up to 70% reduction in base shear, an improved overall q-factor of 7.1, and an estimated frame acceleration of 0.11g for an earthquake peak ground acceleration of 0.44g. This implies that a non-seismically designed reinforced concrete frame on the proposed rubberised concrete deformable foundation system would provide a simple, affordable and equally efficient alternative to the conventional and usually expensive earthquake resistant concrete frames. A supplementary Arrest System (SAS was proposed to anchor the frame from the resulting soft storey at the rubberised concrete foundation. A further research is recommended for the design of concrete hinges with rubberised concrete as used in the model with the most impressive response.

The concrete is made of different ingredients such as cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate but it is a homogeneous material when it is in a harden concrete. The strength of concrete decides the life span of any concrete structure. The factors which affect the strength of concrete are the type of material used, size of aggregate, water cement ratio, improper compaction and improper curing. Curing is one of the major factors in the failure of concrete. Curing is defined as the process o...

This paper provides an insight into a new biotechnological method based on calcite precipitation for achieving high strength bio-concrete durability. It is very clear that mineral precipitation has the potential to enhance construction material resistance towards degradation procedures. The appropriate microbial cell concentration (30 * 105 cells/ml) was introduced onto different structural concrete grades (40, 45 and 50 MPa) by mixing water. In order to study the durability of structural concrete against aggressive agents, specimens were immersed in different types of acids solution (5% H2SO4 and HCl) to compare their effects on 60th, 90th and 120th day. In general, sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid are known to be the most aggressive natural threats from industrial waters which can penetrate concrete to transfer the soluble calcium salts away from the cement matrix. The experimental results demonstrated that bio-concrete has less weight and strength losses when compared to the ordinary Portland cement concrete without microorganism. It was also found that maximum compressive strength and weight loss occurred during H2SO4 acid immersion as compared to HCl immersion. The density and uniformity of bio-concrete were examined using ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test. Microstructure chemical analysis was also quantified by energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) to justify the durability improvement in bacterial concrete. It was observed that less sulphur and chloride were noticed in bacterial concrete against H2SO4 and HCl, respectively in comparison to the ordinary Portland cement concrete due to calcite deposition.

The main aim of this work is to investigate the hardened behaviour of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC). Self compacting Concrete is a special concrete that can flow in its gravity and fill in the formwork alone to its self-weight, passing through the bars and congested sections without the need of any internal or external vibration, while maintaining adequate homogeneity. SCC avoids most of the materials defects due to bleeding or segregation. With regard to its composition, SCC consists of the same components as traditional vibrated concrete (TC), but in different proportions. Thus, the high amount of superplasticizer and high powder content have to taken into account. The high workability of SCC does not allow to use traditional methods for measuring the fresh state properties, so new tests has developed (slump-flow, V-funnel, L-box, and others). The properties of the hardened SCC, which depend on the mix design, should be different from traditional concrete. In order to study the possible modifications of SCC hardened state properties, a review of the bibliography was done. The state of art was focused on the mechanical behaviour (compressive strength, tension strength and elastic modulus), on bond strength of reinforcement steel, and on material durability. The experimental program consisted in the production of two types of concretes: Self-Compacting Concrete and Traditional Concrete. Four different dosages was made with three different water/cement ratio and two strength types of Portland cement, in order to cover the ordinary strength used in construction. Based on this study it can be concluded that compressive strength of SCC and TC are similar (the differences are lesser than 10%), whereas the tensile strength of TC are up to 18% higher. The values of elastic modulus of both concrete are similar. On the other hand, in the ultimate state the bond strength of SCC and TC is similar, although SCC shows higher bond stiffness in the serviceability state (initial

Full Text Available The purpose of this work was to assess the technical feasibility to valorize sludges, generated and stored at the Los Berros drinking water facility (PPLB, as raw material to produce building products (mortar and concrete for the construction industry. The experimental study was divided into three stages: 1 sampling and characterization of PPLB sludges to determine their potential as raw material (sand substitute and supplementary cementing materials to produce mortar and concrete; 2 production and characterization of specimens, using sludge in different weight ratios of mixtures with cement, lime, commercial mortar and plaster to prepare mortars and concretes and 3 comparison of compressive strength and drying contraction values between each specimen and the Mexican criteria to build mortars and concretes. The characterization results of the PPLB sludges showed that these residues could be used as a sand substitute in mortar and concrete formulations, since they were mainly comprised of this material (46.83%. The specimens prepared with a the binary formulations, sludge-cement and sludge-mortar (90-10% and b the ternary formulation, sludge-lime-cement (90-5-5%, gave the best results (ranging from 130 to 150 kg cm-2 of the compressive strength test. The compressive strength values of these formulations were higher than those of equivalent mortar (types I, II and III and cement mixtures (125 kg cm-2 prepared according to the Mexican complementary technical criteria to design and build masonry. These cementing properties exhibited by the PPLB sludges might be associated to their high content of aluminum and silicon oxides, 31.98 and 33.23%, respectively. Thus, calcium silicate (the main carrier strength in hardened cement can be produced from lime hydration of cement with the active silica present in the sludge. Considering all these results, the PPLB sludges present a high feasibility for being valorized as raw materials (supplementary cementing

Norwegian concrete structures are exposed to salt contamination from both sea water and de-icing salts. Chlorides penetrate the concrete cover and initiate corrosion of the reinforcement. The deterioration process can propagate at high rates and endanger serviceability and structural safety. Concrete resistivity is usually assumed to correlate closely with the corrosion process, and its measurement is in principle simple and costefficient, and widely recommended to support serv...

The WETCOR-1 test of simultaneous interactions of a high-temperature melt with water and a limestone/common-sand concrete is described. The test used a 34.1-kg melt of 76.8 w/o Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, 16.9 w/o CaO, and 4.0 w/o SiO{sub 2} heated by induction using tungsten susceptors. Once quasi-steady attack on concrete by the melt was established, an attempt was made to quench the melt at 1850 K with 295 K water flowing at 57 liters per minute. Net power into the melt at the time of water addition was 0.61 {plus_minus} 0.19 W/cm{sup 3}. The test configuration used in the WETCOR-1 test was designed to delay melt freezing to the walls of the test fixture. This was done to test hypotheses concerning the inherent stability of crust formation when high-temperature melts are exposed to water. No instability in crust formation was observed. The flux of heat through the crust to the water pool maintained over the melt in the test was found to be 0.52 {plus_minus} 0.13 MW/m{sup 2}. Solidified crusts were found to attenuate aerosol emissions during the melt concrete interactions by factors of 1.3 to 3.5. The combination of a solidified crust and a 30-cm deep subcooled water pool was found to attenuate aerosol emissions by factors of 3 to 15.

A process for treating fly ash to render it highly usable as a concrete additive. A quantity of fly ash is obtained that contains carbon and which is considered unusable fly ash for concrete based upon foam index testing. The fly ash is mixed with a quantity of spray dryer ash (SDA) and water to initiate a geopolymerization reaction and form a geopolymerized fly ash. The geopolymerized fly ash is granulated. The geopolymerized fly ash is considered usable fly ash for concrete according to foam index testing. The geopolymerized fly ash may have a foam index less than 40%, and in some cases less than 20%, of the foam index of the untreated fly ash. An optional alkaline activator may be mixed with the fly ash and SDA to facilitate the geopolymerization reaction. The alkaline activator may contain an alkali metal hydroxide, carbonate, silicate, aluminate, or mixtures thereof.

Portland cement concrete is most used commodity in the world after water. Major part of civil and transportation infrastructure including bridges, roadway pavements, dams, and buildings is made of concrete. In addition to this, concrete durability is often of major concerns. In 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimated that an annual investment of 170 billion on roads and 20.5 billion for bridges is needed on an annual basis to substantially improve the condition of infrastructure. Same article reports that one-third of America's major roads are in poor or mediocre condition [1]. However, portland cement production is recognized with approximately one cubic meter of carbon dioxide emission. Indeed, the proper and systematic design of concrete mixtures for highway applications is essential as concrete pavements represent up to 60% of interstate highway systems with heavier traffic loads. Combined principles of material science and engineering can provide adequate methods and tools to facilitate the concrete design and improve the existing specifications. In the same manner, the durability must be addressed in the design and enhancement of long-term performance. Concrete used for highway pavement applications has low cement content and can be placed at low slump. However, further reduction of cement content (e.g., versus current specifications of Wisconsin Department of Transportation to 315-338 kg/m 3 (530-570 lb/yd3) for mainstream concrete pavements and 335 kg/m3 (565 lb/yd3) for bridge substructure and superstructures) requires delicate design of the mixture to maintain the expected workability, overall performance, and long-term durability in the field. The design includes, but not limited to optimization of aggregates, supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), chemical and air-entraining admixtures. This research investigated various theoretical and experimental methods of aggregate optimization applicable for the reduction of cement content

Because virtually all durability aspects of concrete are improved with a reduction in permeability, the use of fly ash improves concrete durability. Concretewater demand is typically reduced when using fly ash leading to a lower water cementitious ratio. The Life 365 model is one example of a life cycle cost prediction model. It was originally created as a industry standard model to predict ingress of chloride in structures and mitigation technologies for controlling corrosion. This model allows users to input the actual diffusion data for a given mix design. Users can also select pre-set modifications such as fly ash to produce high performance concrete, or such corrosion inhibitors as stainless steel, epoxy coated reinforcement, or application of sealers or membranes. Other more recent computer based service life models attempt to improve on some of the perceived shortcomings of Life 365. One such model, STADIUM, predicts the movement of other ions in addition to chloride, including sulfate, hydroxyl, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and others, as well as several solid phases. The transport mechanism in this model is not limited to diffusion of ions in saturated conditions. One notable feature of STADIUM is its ability to account for movement of ions, and to adjust for coupling due to changes in concentration of various ions. This model will adjust the amount of predicted ions in solution in keeping with maximum solubilities of the respective compounds. 2 figs.

Full Text Available Suitability of Natural Rubber Latex (NRL as an additive and Waste Foundry Sand (WFS as partial replacement to river sand, in cement concrete was investigated. Experimental study was performed with concrete mixtures containing 1% latex to water ratio, along with 5% and 10% replacement of river sand by WFS. Properties of concrete were studied in both fresh and hardened state. The results of laboratory tests indicate that WFS and NRL reduces the workability of concrete. Slight reduction in splitting tensile strength was observed for mixtures containing NRL and WFS, in comparison to conventional mix. No specific trend was observed for flexural strength at 7 days, but at 28 days the difference was within ±3%, when compared to conventional mix. Strength development for mixtures containing NRL and WFS was slightly lower than conventional mix. The limited results of this study show that concrete containing NRL and WFS do have potential for use as non- structural concrete.

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer For the first time water movement in cement-based materials could be quantified in a non-destructive way. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer neutron radiography has a sensitivity and a spatial resolution unknown so far. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Results are essential for prediction of service life. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Results will contribute to more durable and more ecological construction. - Abstract: Service life of reinforced concrete structures is often limited by penetration of water and compounds dissolved inwater into concrete. Concrete can be damaged in this way and corrosion of steel reinforcement can be initiated. There is an urgent need to study water penetration into concretein order to better understand deterioration mechanisms and to find appropriate ways to improve durability. Neutron radiography provides us with an advanced non-destructive technique with high spatial resolution and extraordinary sensitivity. In this contribution, neutron radiography was successfully applied to study the process of water absorption of two types of concrete with different water-cement ratios, namely 0.4 and 0.6. The influence cracks and of water repellent treatment on water absorption has been studied on mortar specimens. It is possible to visualize migration of water into concrete and other cement-based composites and to quantify the time-dependent moisture distributions as function of time with high spatial resolution by means of neutron radiography. Water penetration depth obtained from neutron radiography is in good agreement with corresponding values obtained from capillary suction tests. Surface impregnation of concrete with silane prevents capillary uptake of water. Even fine cracks are immediately filled with water as soon as the surface gets in contact. Results provide us with a solid basis for a better understanding of deteriorating processes inconcrete and other cement-based materials.

The structure of concrete generally serves in multi-media environments; various environments act differently on concrete. The compound action of some severe environments will threaten the duration of concrete and decrease the service life of a concrete structure if improperly handled. In this paper the microstructure of concrete is observed by using Scanned Electric Microscope (SEM) through contrasting experiments in media of acid, alkali and salt with that of freezing-thawing in the same medium environment. This study is to supply a certain basis for changing traditional thinking of mechanical design and to combine construction reliability design with durability of concrete design.

A drastic reduction in time frames between the manufacturing process of concrete units and the rendering phase (including prior priming) does not allow the concrete to dry well. This fact is also underlined by changes inconcrete technology (denser concrete and denser concrete surfaces). The tests showed that the reduction of drying time (storage time) had a significant influence on the bonding properties of gypsum plaster on concrete surfaces. In such cases it is absolutely necessary to use an appropriate primer no matter what the processing temperature (2 °C to 20 °C) might be. In this publication the varying primer quality is shown.

Full Text Available To predict the durability of a concrete structure under the coupling degradation consisting of the frosting and chloride attack, microstructural analysis of the concrete pore structure should be accompanied. In this study, the correlation between the pore structure and chloride migration for OPC concrete was evaluated at the different cement content in the concrete mix accounting for 300, 350, and 400 kg/m3 at 0.45 of a free water cement ratio. The influence of frosting damage on the rate of chloride transport was assessed by testing with concrete specimens subjected to a rapid freezing and thawing cyclic environment. As a result, it was found that chloride transport was accelerated by frost damage, which was more influential at the lower cement content. The microscopic examination of the pore structure showed that the freezing environment increased the volume of the large capillary pore in the concrete matrix.

One of the methods being considered for safely disposing of Category 3 low-level radioactive wastes is to encase the waste inconcrete. Concrete encasement would contain and isolate the waste packages from the hydrologic environment and act as an intrusion barrier. The current plan for waste isolation consists of stacking low-level waste packages on a trench floor, surrounding the stacks with reinforced steel, and encasing these packages inconcrete. These concrete-encased waste stacks are expected to vary in size with maximum dimensions of 6.4 m long, 2.7 m wide, and 4 m high. The waste stacks are expected to have a surrounding minimum thickness of 15 cm of concrete encasement. These concrete-encased waste packages are expected to withstand environmental exposure (solar radiation, temperature variations, and precipitation) until an interim soil cover or permanent closure cover is installed and to remain largely intact thereafter. Any failure of concrete encasement may result inwater intrusion and consequent mobilization of radionuclides from the waste packages. This report presents the results of investigations elucidating the uranium mineral phases controlling the long-term fate of uranium within concrete waste forms and the solubility of these phases inconcrete pore waters and alkaline, circum-neutral vadose zone environments.

Cracks can alter the rate of fluid transport inconcrete. Unfortunately, however, quantitative information is lacking to provide definitive statements regarding the extent to which cracks reduce durability or long-term performance. This paper describes a study that used X-ray transmission....../attenuation to determine the influence of cracking on the absorption of fluid inconcrete. Specifically, an experimental method is presented which uses a wedge splitting test to pre-crack specimens. These pre-cracked specimens were dried and ponded with water. At various times after the start of water ponding, X...... of the crack by using water absorption perimeter measurements of the wetting front in the concrete....

针对小湾水电站坝后水垫塘抗冲耐磨混凝土施工，工程量大，设计标号高，水胶比小，外掺材料多，跨高温、雨季，且抗冲耐磨混凝土粘稠性强，易发干发白、产生干缩裂缝，混凝土振捣困难，抹面平整度难以控制等特点，提出了混凝土配合比优化设计，混凝土拌和，过流面表面不平整处理，早期塑性干缩预防，后期收缩裂缝、温度裂缝预防，雨季施工防雨等措施，保证了施工质量和进度，取得了良好的社会经济效益。%Some difficulties has been encountered in the scour resistant concrete construction of water cushion pool in Xiaowan Hydropower Station: large construction quantity with high design grade , small ratio of water and gel , many mixed materials, high-temperature rainy season , thick abrasion-resistant concrete easy to dry and white which leads to dry shrinkage crack , difficult concrete vibrator and uneven surface .Measures such as optimization design , concrete mix-ing, flow surface roughness treatment , plastic shrinkage prevention in early stage , shrinking and temperature cracks pre-vention in later stage , rain proof in rainy season are proposed in order to ensure construction quality and progress and to achieve good social and economic benefits .

Aiming at the preparation of bridge pile foundation concretein acidic water environment,the effect of mineral admixtures, water-binder (w/b) ratio and pH value of erosion environment on acid resistance of concrete is studied. Cement is replaced by fly ash (FA) with the incorporation amount from 20% to 50% or by ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) from 35% to 65%. The w/b ratio is 0. 35,0. 39 and 0. 43 respectively. The acidic environmental conditions are simulated by using sulfuric acid solution with the pH value 1,2 or 4. The corrosion process was monitored by measuring the compressive strength for a period of one year. The results showed that a reduce in the w/b ratio improved the acid resistance of concrete. It was found that the improvement effect of mineral admixture on acid attack of concrete is dependent on the type and dosage mixture admixture and the pH value of simulation erosion solution. The high volume fly ash concrete mixtures performed better than high volume ground granulated blast-furnace slag concrete mixtures.%针对酸性水环境下桥梁桩基混凝土的配制,研究了矿物掺合料、水胶比以及侵蚀溶液pH值对混凝土抗酸侵蚀性能的影响.混凝土的粉煤灰掺量从20％～50％变化,矿粉掺量从35 ％～65％变化,水胶比分别取0.35、0.39、0.43,酸性水侵蚀环境通过pH值分别为1、2、4的硫酸溶液模拟,抗酸性能通过测定1年龄期的混凝土抗压强度变化率表征.结果表明,降低水胶比有利于提高混凝土的抗酸侵蚀性能；矿物掺合料对混凝土耐酸性能的改善作用与其品种、掺量及模拟侵蚀溶液的pH值大小有关.大掺量粉煤灰混凝土比大掺量矿渣粉混凝土具有更好的耐酸性能.

Full Text Available Ultra thin continuously reinforced concrete pavements (UTCRCP), in literature also referred to as Ultra Thin Reinforced High Performance Concrete (UTHRHPC), have been used in Europe successfully as a rehabilitation measure on steel bridge decks...

It is the aim of the present ph.d.-project to develop methods for calculation as well as measurements of eigenstresses inconcrete due to (autogenous) shrinkage of cement paste. The calculations will be carried out with the use of experimentally determined material properties such as autogenous...

In the present work, a concrete permeability testing setup was designed to study the behavior of hydraulic concrete subjected to constant hydraulic pressure. The results show that when concrete is subjected to high enough constant hydraulic pressure, it will be permeated, and after it reaches its maximum permeation rate, the permeability coefficient will gradually decrease towards a stable value. A time-dependent model of permeability coefficient for concrete subjected to hydraulic pressure is proposed. It is indicated that the decrease of the permeability coefficient with permeation time conforms well to the negative-exponential decrease model.

The EPA is providing notice of a proposed Administrative Penalty Assessment against Forterra Concrete Products, Inc., a business located at 511 E. John Carpenter Freeway, Irving, TX, 75062, for alleged violations at its facility located at 23600 W. 40th St

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) signals from concrete structures are affected by several phenomenon, including: (1) transmission and reflection coefficients at interfaces; (2) the radiation patterns of the antenna(s) being used; and (3) the material properties of concrete and any embedded objects. In this paper we investigate different schemes for determining the electromagnetic (EM) attenuation of concrete from measured signals obtained using commercially-available GPR equipment. We adapt procedures commonly used in ultrasonic inspections where one compares the relative strengths of two or more signals having different travel paths through the material of interest. After correcting for beam spread (i.e., diffraction), interface phenomena, and equipment amplification settings, any remaining signal differences are assumed to be due to attenuation thus allowing the attenuation coefficient (say, in dB of loss per inch of travel) to be estimated. We begin with a brief overview of our approach, and then discuss how diffraction corrections were determined for our two 1.6 GHz GPR antennas. We then present results of attenuation measurements for two types of concrete using both pulse/echo and pitch/catch measurement setups.

In order to study the durability of sprayed concrete (shotcrete), effects of different hydration aging and water-binder ratio (w/b) on the microstructure of cement paste and basic mechanical properties of test specimens were investigated. The phase composition, mass percentage of ettringite and portland in hydration production and microstructure were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo gravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The experimental results showed that changes in phase composition was more signiifcant than those of water-binder ratio. With hydration aging and water-binder ratio increased, the mass percentage of ettringite and portland was decreased from 4.42%, 1.49% to 3.31%, 1.35%, respectively and the microstructure of paste was signiifcantly compacted. Likewise, the mechanical properties including cubic compressive strength and splitting tensile strength were rised obviously.

Full Text Available Glass is a widely used product throughout the world; it is versatile, durable and reliable. The uses of glass ranges drastically, therefore waste glass is discarded, stockpiled or land filled. About million tons of waste glass is generated and around large percent of this glass is disposed of in landfills. This pattern has influenced environmental organizations to pressure the professional community to lower the amount of glass being discarded as well as find use to the non-recycled glass in new applications. In relation, the recycling of waste glass as a component inconcrete gives waste glass a sustainable alternative to land filling and therefore makes it economically viable.The proposed study of utilising waste glass powder(GLP inconcrete as partial replacement of cement as well as the use of crushed glass particles(CGP retained on 1.18mm & 2.36mm IS sieve as a partial replacement to sand, which offers important benefits related to strength of concrete as well as it is eco-friendly. Recycling of mixed-colour waste glass possesses major problems for municipalities, and this problem can be greatly eliminated by re-using waste glass as sand/cement replacement inconcrete. Moreover, re-using waste materials in construction can reduce the demand on the sources of primary materials.In this project the attempts have been made to partially replace the cement as well as sand by waste glass powder and crushed glass particles with equal combination by 5% interval up to 20% replacement and observe its effect on the strength of concrete after 7 days and 28 days of curing.

In order to investigate the corrosion of reinforcing steel inconcrete and the effects of chloride ions, oxygen diffusion and detergent additives of linear alkylbenzene (LAB) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), potentiokinetic experiments were carried out. Thus, by embedding steel electrodes into concrete specimens with a water/cement (W/C) ratio of 0.45, current-potential curves were obtained and the compressive strength of the specimens was measured. The electrochemical appro...

Concrete has been used in the construction of nuclear facilities because of two primary properties: its structural strength and its ability to shield radiation. Concrete structures have been known to last for hundreds of years, but they are also known to deteriorate in very short periods of time under adverse conditions. The use of concretein nuclear facilities for containment and shielding of radiation and radioactive materials has made its performance crucial for the safe operation of the facility. The goal of this report is to review and document the main aging mechanisms of concern for concrete structures in nuclear power plants (NPPs) and the models used in simulations of concrete aging and structural response of degraded concrete structures. This is in preparation for future work to develop and apply models for aging processes and response of aged NPP concrete structures in the Grizzly code. To that end, this report also provides recommendations for developing more robust predictive models for aging effects of performance of concrete.

Full Text Available This paper reports the results of investigations carried out on the effect of varying curing age and water/cement ratio on the modulus of elasticity and modulus of deformability of laterized concrete. The test specimens were made with sieved samples of selected grain size ranges of laterite used as fine aggregates to replace sand in normal concrete. Batching was by weight. Three mix ratios of (1:1Â½:3, (1:2:4 and (1:3:6 were used. Water/cement ratio of 0.5, 0.6, 0.7 and 0.75 were used for each of the mix ratios. The specimens were tested at curing ages of seven to 28 days. The results showed that there was a corresponding increase in both modulus of elasticity and modulus of deformability of laterized concrete due to increase in curing ages. The mix proportion, compressive strength and water/cement ratio were found to have significant effects on both modulus of elasticity and modulus of deformability of laterized concrete.

In this paper, we explore the characteristics of a concrete block as a communication medium with piezoelectric transducers. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is a piezoceramic material used in smart materials intended for structural health monitoring (SHM). Additionally, a PZT based smart aggregate (SA) is capable of implementing stress wave communications which is utilized for investigating the properties of an SA based concrete channel. Our experiments characterize single-input single-output and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) concrete channels in order to determine the potential capacity limits of SAs for stress wave communication. We first provide estimates and validate the concrete channel response. Followed by a theoretical upper bound for data rate capacity of our two channels, demonstrating a near-twofold increase in channel capacity by utilizing multiple transceivers to form an MIMO system. Our channel modeling techniques and results are also helpful to researchers using SAs with regards to SHM, energy harvesting and stress wave communications.

Full Text Available The paper presents a model for evaluation of environmental conditions that influence on reinforced highway structures. The models is applied for calculation of chloride ingress inconcrete structures while using de-icing salt.

The paper presents a model for evaluation of environmental conditions that influence on reinforced highway structures. The models is applied for calculation of chloride ingress inconcrete structures while using de-icing salt.

Steel fibres have been known as an alternative to traditional reinforcement bars for special applications of structural concrete for decades and the use of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) has gradually increased in recent years. Steel fibres lead to reduced crack widths inconcrete formed......, among other reasons, due to shrinkage and/or mechanical loading. Steel fibres are nowadays also used in combination with traditional reinforcement for structural concrete, where the role of the fibres is to minimize the crack widths whereas the traditional reinforcement bars are used for structural....... The aim of the work presented in this Ph.D. thesis was to quantify the influence of steel fibres on corrosion of traditional reinforcement bars embedded in uncracked concrete as well as cracked concrete. Focus of the work was set on the impact of steel fibres on corrosion propagation in uncracked concrete...

Certain concrete pours have areas where the congestion of reinforcing bars make placement of concrete almost impossible. Using conventional placing and vibration techniques, the resulting concrete can have considerable honeycombing due to the development of voids. Self-placing concrete is a possible solution to the problem. Also known as self-compactable concrete, self-consolidating concrete, flowable concrete, and non-vibration concrete. These concretes eliminate the need for vibration in a ...

Full Text Available It has been known that acid-resistant concretes on the liquid glass basis have high porosity (up to 18~20 %, low strength and insufficient water resistance. Significant increasing of silicate matrix strength and density was carried out by incorporation of special liquid organic alkali-soluble silicate additives, which block superficial pores and reduce concrete shrinkage deformation. It was demonstrated that introduction of tetrafurfuryloxisilane additive sharply increases strength, durability and shock resistance of silicate polymer concretein aggressive media. The experiments showed, that the strength and density of silicate polymer concrete increase in case of decreasing liquid glass content. The authors obtained optimal content of silicate polymer concrete, which possesses increased strength, durability, density and crack-resistance. Diffusive permeability of concrete and its chemical resistance has been investigated in various corroding media.

Magnesia Concrete is a kind of expansive con-crete used in Chinese hydraulic engineering more and more widely. To evaluate the effects of autogenous expan-sion on the stresses of arch dams, a simple model of auto-genous expansion for Magnesia Concretein dam engineering is presented. This model is based on three assumptions: 1) the total amount of autogenous expan-sion of Magnesia Concrete is related only to the properties of materials and mixing of concrete; 2) the autogenous expansion of Magnesia Concrete is irreversible due to the irreversibility of hydration reaction of Magnesia in the concrete; 3) the autogenous expansion strain rates of Magnesia Concrete bear a relation between temperature and residual Magnesia per unit volume of concrete. The model is verified by some experimental data of autogen-ous expansion of Magnesia Concrete and field-measured data of an arch dam in China. Embedded into finite ele-ment arch dam simulation software, this model is employed to simulate the effects of autogenous expansion of Magnesia Concretein hydraulic engineering.

Full Text Available Nowadays, the increasing amount of wastes is a concerning reality and the environmental aspects has become a major priority. Following this worry, the purpose of this study was to investigate the using of pulp and paper industry wastes in various concrete mixes containing various contents of the waste to reduce environmental effects of these wastes disposal. The discussion includes pulp and paper industry waste management which have recently received considerable attention and considers grit, dregs, ash, and fiber. The concrete mixes prepared with adequate amount of these wastes, cement, aggregate and water compared in terms of some tests especially strength with the conventional concrete. At the end, the advantages and disadvantages of the use of pulp and paper industry wastes inconcrete formulations as an alternative to landfill disposal were discussed. The research on use of pulp and paper industry wastes can be further carried out inconcrete manufacturing as a new recycled material.

Full Text Available Concrete fatigue strain evolution plays a very important role in the evaluation of the material properties of concrete. To study fatigue strain and fatigue damage of concretein reinforced concrete beams under constant amplitude bending fatigue loading, constant amplitude bending fatigue experiments with reinforced concrete beams with rectangular sections were first carried out in the laboratory. Then, by analyzing the shortcomings and limitations of existing fatigue strain evolution equations, the level-S nonlinear evolution model of fatigue strain was constructed, and the physical meaning of the parameters was discussed. Finally, the evolution of fatigue strain and fatigue damage of concretein the compression zone of the experimental beam was analyzed based on the level-S nonlinear evolution model. The results show that, initially, fatigue strain grows rapidly. In the middle stages, fatigue strain is nearly a linear change. Because the experimental data for the third stage are relatively scarce, the evolution of the strain therefore degenerated into two phases. The model has strong adaptability and high accuracy and can reflect the evolution of fatigue strain. The fatigue damage evolution expression based on fatigue strain shows that fatigue strain and fatigue damage have similar variations, and, with the same load cycles, the greater the load level, the larger the damage, in line with the general rules of damage.

Full Text Available The Concrete Technology subject, part of the curriculum of Civil Engineering, required for your study multiple and varied teaching media, only way to achieve objectivity in the instruction. The work presented here, aims to unite methodologically the teaching media as a system, aimed at improving knowledge acquisition by students as a more for raising the quality of instruction and learning outcomes. By selecting appropriate teaching media to Concrete Technology subject, the author was supported by the main categories of didactic. The key product of the work is presented as a multimedia organized methodologically for conducting classes and independent study in the subject and in the integrated project for third year. The study results have been validated to date in two courses, contributing to increased student motivation for the subject and better outcomes.

Full Text Available Red mud is a solid waste produced in the alumina production process and, due to its high pH, is classified as hazardous. Its incorporation inconcrete mixtures, acting as filler due to the particles fineness, might be an interesting reuse alternative. The focus of this paper is to study the chloride diffusivity of concrete mixtures containing red-mud. The concentration of chlorides was monitored by measuring the conductivity of the anolyte, which was distilled water initially. In addition, the estimation of the chloride ions diffusion coefficients in steady and non-steady conditions, Ds and Dns, was obtained from the ''time-lag'' and ''equivalent time'' between diffusion and migration experiments. Due to superfine particle-size distribution and the "filler" effect, the red mud addition seems to assure lower chloride diffusivity.

Full Text Available Sustainability is considered to be highly important for preserving continued industrial growth and human development. Concrete, being the world’s largest manufacturing material comprises cement as an essential binding component for strength development. However, excessive production of cement due to high degree of construction practices around the world frames cement as a leading pollutant of releasing significant amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere. To overcome this environmental degradation, silica fume and hydrated lime are used as partial replacements to cement. This paper begins with the examination of the partial replacement levels of hydrated lime and silica fume inconcrete and their influence on the mechanical properties and durability characteristics of concrete. The effect of hot water curing on concrete incorporated with both silica fume and hydrated lime is also investigated in this paper. The results reported in this paper show that the use of silica fume as a partial replacement material improved both the mechanical properties and durability characteristics of concrete due to the formation of calcium silica hydrate crystals through the pozzolanic reaction. Although the hydrated lime did not significantly contribute in the development of strength, its presence enhanced the durability of concrete especially at long-term. The results also showed that hot water curing enhanced the strength development of concrete incorporated with silica fume due to the accelerated rate of both the hydration and pozzolanic reaction that takes place between silica fume and calcium hydroxide of the cement matrix particularly at early times. The results reported in this paper have significant contribution in the development of sustainable concrete. The paper does not only address the use of alternative binders as a partial replacement material inconcrete but also suggest proper curing conditions for the proposed replacement materials. These practices

Life extensions of nuclear power plants to 60 and potentially 80 years of operation have renewed interest in long-term material degradation. One material being considered is concrete, with a particular focus on radiation-induced effects. Based on the projected neutron fluence values (E > 0.1 MeV) in the concrete biological shields of the US pressurized water reactor fleet and the available data on radiation effects on concrete, some decrease in mechanical properties of concrete cannot be ruled out during extended operation beyond 60 years. An expansion of the irradiated concrete database and a reliable determination of relevant neutron fluence energy cutoff value are necessary to ensure reliable risk assessment for extended operation of nuclear power plants.

In this thesis, a rotational capacity model for flexural reinforced concrete elements is presented. The model is based on the general assumption, that any other failure mode than bending is prevented by proper design. This includes failure due to shear, anchorage, concentrated loads etc. Likewise......, beams governed by failure described by Kani’s Valley are not covered by the presented model. Hence, the model is delimited to shear reinforced elements failing in flexure. The rotational capacity model is divided into the following calculation procedures. 1. A cross sectional analysis of the critical...... are not necessarily so. An example shows the applicability of the model and a parametric study shows the advantages of the model compared with code provisions. Finally, improvements of the compression zone modelling is performed in order to include a better performance when concrete crushing is the failure criterion...

X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning is used to determine the SAP void distribution in hardened concrete. Three different approaches are used to analyse a binary data set created from CT measurement. One approach classifies a cluster of connected, empty voxels (volumetric pixel of a 3D image......) as one void, whereas the other two approaches are able to classify a cluster of connected, empty voxels as a number of individual voids. Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) have been used to incorporate air into concrete. An advantage of using SAP is that it enables control of the amount and size...... of the created air voids. The results indicate the presence of void clusters. To identify the individual voids, special computational approaches are needed. The addition of SAP results in a dominant peak in two of the three air void distributions. Based on the position (void diameter) of the peak, it is possible...

X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning is used to determine the SAP void distribution in hardened concrete. Three different approaches are used to analyse a binary data set created from CT measurement. One approach classifies a cluster of connected, empty voxels (volumetric pixel of a 3D image......) as one void, whereas the other two approaches are able to classify a cluster of connected, empty voxels as a number of individual voids. Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) have been used to incorporate air into concrete. An advantage of using SAP is that it enables control of the amount and size...... of the created air voids. The results indicate the presence of void clusters. To identify the individual voids, special computational approaches are needed. The addition of SAP results in a dominant peak in two of the three air void distributions. Based on the position (void diameter) of the peak, it is possible...

, and it is performed by use of saturated salt solutions in the laboratory. Further, the five different instruments are placed in the same concrete, and the instruments readings are followed during drying of the concrete for 43 days. The laboratory tests and the measurements in the concrete show that most...

Anchoring elements such as headed and expansion studs and grouted or undercut anchors, are often used for local transfer of loads into concrete members. In order to better understand the failure mechanism, a large number of experiments have been carried out in the past. However, due to the complicated three-dimensional load transfer a very few or no numerical studies have been performed for a number of different fastening situations i.e. influence of the embedment depth, crack-width inftuence...

A study was conducted in which the marine durability of ordinary portland cement, slag and fly ash cement was examined using 15 year old plain and reinforced concrete cylindrical specimens. The performance of these cements was then examined for pre-cracked reinforced concrete prism samples. The process of manufacturing cement emits huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the global atmosphere. Replacing a portion of the cement with by-products from the steel industry and thermal power plants (which are both huge emitters of carbon dioxide) can lower carbon dioxide emissions and also solve the disposal issue of slag and fly ash while increasing the long-term durability of concrete structures. In this study, concrete cylindrical specimens were made of ordinary portland cement, slag and fly ash cements. The specimens were 100 x 100 x 600 mm prisms of different types of cement. Water-to-cement ratios were 0.45 and 0.55. Both tap water and seawater were used as mixing water. The samples were exposed in tidal pools for 15 years to evaluate the compressive strength of the concrete, corrosion of the steel bars, and chloride-ion concentrations in the concrete. It was shown that, with the exception of fly ash cements, the compressive strength of most cements increased after 15 years of exposure compared to its 28 day strength. Type C slag cement demonstrated the best performance against chloride-ion at the surface of concrete made with slag and fly ash. Voids in the steel-concrete interface make it possible for corrosion pits to develop. The use of seawater as mixing water results in earlier strength development at 28 days and does not cause to the strength of the concrete to regress after 15-years of exposure, but it causes more corrosion of steel bars at a lower cover depth. Corrosion of steel bars is not an issue at deeper cover depths. 15 refs., 19 tabs., 13 figs.

The behaviour of a concrete container of radioactive wastes has to be studied according to its surroundings. Schematically we can distinguish 2 stages in the evolution of a concrete packaging: first, the evolution in an unsaturated open system (wet gaseous atmosphere) and secondly the evolution in an open system saturated with water. This article deals with the second stage. 3 likely deterioration factors are reviewed: 1) chemical damage under water, these damage involve a series of dissolution-reprecipitation processes; 2) the carbonation under water which depends strongly on the concentration of carbonates in natural water, this process can lead to a loss of porosity; and 3) the action of sulfate ions to which we can associate the apparition of mineral phases capable of fissuring materials. The modelling of these 3 interactions combined with a radionuclide transport model will allow us to evaluate the confining property of concrete containers. (A.C.)

Full Text Available Simulations of atmospheric carbonation of Intermediate-Level Long-lived radioactive Waste (ILLW concrete packages were conducted to evaluate their possible chemical degradations. Two-phase liquid water-air flow is combined with gas component diffusion processes leading to a progressive drying of the concrete.Complete drying of the 11 cm thick waste disposal package wall occurs over a period ranging from 2 years for the low-performance concrete to 10 years for the high-performance concrete. The drying process slows down when transport characteristics of concretes are enhanced. Carbonation depths in the order of 2 to 3 cm in 100 years are predicted for this cementitious component. However, these values are slightly overestimated compared to experimental data. Also the kinetic model of mineral reactivity requires improvements with respect to the protective effect of secondary carbonates and to thermodynamic data.

Cement is a binder material with various composition of Concrete but instantly it posses low tensile strength. The study deals with mechanical properties of that optimized fiber in comparison with conventional and coconut shell concrete. The accumulation of fibers arbitrarily dispersed in the composition increases the resistance to cracking, deflection and other serviceability conditions substantially. The steel fiber in extra is one of the revision in coconut shell concrete and the outcome of steel fiber in coconut shell concrete was to investigate and compare with the conventional concrete. For the given range of steel fibe from 0.5 to 2.0%, 12 beams and 36 cylindrical specimens were cast and tested to find the mechanical properties like flexural strength, split tensile, impact resistance and the modulus of elasticity of both conventional and coconut shell concrete has been studied and the test consequences are compared with the control concrete and coconut shell concrete for M25 Grade. It is fulfilled that, the steel fibers used in this venture has shown significant development in all the properties of conventional and coconut shell concrete while compared to controlled conventional and coconut shell concrete like, Flexural strength by 6.67 % for 1.0 % of steel fiber in conventional concrete and by 5.87 % for 1.5 % of steel fiber in coconut shell concrete.

There are sulfate and chloride ions corrosion and carbonation to concretein coal mine. Based on taking test of accelerated carbonation, corrosion of 3.5% weight of NaCl solution and 5% weight of Na2SO4 solution of coal mine concretes, durability of concretes which include spray concrete of C20, high performance concretes of C30 and C50and effect of fly ash on durability have been studied. Results suggest that the coal mineral high performance concretes show good resistance capacities of carbonation, sulfate and chloride corrosion to meet the coal mine construction. And the higher the strength grade is,the better the resistance capacity of corrosion of carbonation is, chloride and sulfate.Moreover, fly ash improves resistance capacity of high performance concrete(HPC) to chloride and sulfate but decreases the resistance capacity of C30's to carbonation and average dynamic modulus.

On the basis of a great number of experiments, it is proved that the strength of concrete is improved greatly when it is mixed with activated water produced by the electro-hydraulic impulse. With the proper parameters, the compression strength of concrete can be increased by 45%. The reason for improvement of concrete strength by using activated water is discussed from the aspect of the structure of molecule.

A dynamic instability, called parametric resonance, is exhibited by undampedelastic beam-columns when under the action of pulsating axial force. The scope of the existing theory of parametric resonance is restricted to physically linear beam-columns undergoing finite lateral displacements. In this Paper, the dynamic behaviour of physically nonlinear elastic cracked concrete beam-columns under pulsating axial force and constant lateral force is investigated. The constitutive equations derived ...

Assessing long-term performance of Category 3 waste cement grouts for radionuclide encasement requires knowledge of the radionuclide-cement interactions and mechanisms of retention (i.e., sorption or precipitation); the mechanism of contaminant release; the significance of contaminant release pathways; how waste form performance is affected by the full range of environmental conditions within the disposal facility; the process of waste form aging under conditions that are representative of processes occurring in response to changing environmental conditions within the disposal facility; the effect of waste form aging on chemical, physical, and radiological properties; and the associated impact on contaminant release. This knowledge will enable accurate prediction of radionuclide fate when the waste forms come in contact with groundwater. The information presented in the report provides data that 1) quantify radionuclide retention within concrete waste form materials similar to those used to encapsulate waste in the Low-Level Waste Burial Grounds (LLBG); 2) measure the effect of concrete waste form properties likely to influence radionuclide migration; and 3) quantify the stability of uranium-bearing solid phases of limited solubility inconcrete.

Many defects can cause deterioration and cracks inconcrete; these are results of poor concrete mix, poor workmanship, inadequate design, shrinkage, chemical and environmental attack, physical or mechanical damage, and corrosion of reinforcing steel (RS). We want to develop a suite of sensors and systems that can detect that corrosion is taking place in RS and inform owners how serious the problem is. By understanding the stages of the corrosion process, we can develop special a sensor that detects each transition. First, moisture ingress can be monitored by a fiber optics humidity sensor, then ingress of Chloride, which acts as a catalyst and accelerates the corrosion process by converting iron into ferrous compounds. We need a fiber optics sensor which can quantify Chloride ingress over time. Converting ferric to ferrous causes large volume expansion and cracks. Such pressure build-up can be detected by a fiber optic pressure sensor. Finally, cracks emit acoustic waves, which can be detected by a high frequency sensor made with phase-shifted gratings. This paper will discuss the progress in our development of these special sensors and also our plan for a field test by the end of 2014. We recommend that we deploy these sensors by visually inspecting the affected area and by identifying locations of corrosion; then, work with the designers to identify spots that would compromise the integrity of the structure; finally, drill a small hole in the concrete and insert these sensors. Interrogation can be done at fixed intervals with a portable unit.

According to the results of accelerated tests of acidiifcation corrosion depth and compressive strength of concretes subjected to sulfuric acid environments, the acidiifcation depth laws of concretes were predicted based on the grey system theory. Thus, the remaining compressive strength was calculated when the acidiifcation depth reached the protection layer thickness of concrete structures, which indicates that the limit state of durability failure can be deifned based on strength degradation, and the calculation process was illustrated by an example. The calculated results show that the remaining compressive strength values in the durability failure limit state for the concrete structures exposed to pH=2 and 3 sulfuric acid water environments and wet-dry cyclic sulfuric acid environment with pH=2 are 74%, 72%, and 80% of initial strength, respectively. The method provides references for the durability evaluation of concrete structure design under the acidic environments.

Assessment and management of aging concrete structures in nuclear power plants require a more systematic approach than simple reliance on existing code margins of safety. Structural health monitoring of concrete structures aims to understand the current health condition of a structure based on heterogeneous measurements to produce high-confidence actionable information regarding structural integrity that supports operational and maintenance decisions. This report describes alkali-silica reaction (ASR) degradation mechanisms and factors influencing the ASR. A fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical model developed by Saouma and Perotti by taking into consideration the effects of stress on the reaction kinetics and anisotropic volumetric expansion is presented in this report. This model is implemented in the GRIZZLY code based on the Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment. The implemented model in the GRIZZLY code is randomly used to initiate ASR in a 2D and 3D lattice to study the percolation aspects of concrete. The percolation aspects help determine the transport properties of the material and therefore the durability and service life of concrete. This report summarizes the effort to develop small-size concrete samples with embedded glass to mimic ASR. The concrete samples were treated inwater and sodium hydroxide solution at elevated temperature to study how ingress of sodium ions and hydroxide ions at elevated temperature impacts concrete samples embedded with glass. Thermal camera was used to monitor the changes in the concrete sample and results are summarized.

Highlights: • Neutron and gamma rays fields inconcrete biological shield are calculated. • An extensive database on irradiated concrete properties has been collected. • Concrete mechanical properties decrease beyond 1.0 × 10{sup 19} n/cm{sup 2} fluence. • Loss of properties appears correlated with radiation induced-aggregate swelling. • Commercial reactor bio-shield may experience long-term irradiation damage. - Abstract: A large fraction of light water reactor (LWR) construction utilizes concrete, including safety-related structures such as the biological shielding and containment building. Concrete is an inherently complex material, with the properties of concrete structures changing over their lifetime due to the intrinsic nature of concrete and influences from local environment. As concrete structures within LWRs age, the total neutron fluence exposure of the components, in particular the biological shield, can increase to levels where deleterious effects are introduced as a result of neutron irradiation. This work summarizes the current state of the art on irradiated concrete, including a review of the current literature and estimates the total neutron fluence expected in biological shields in typical LWR configurations. It was found a first-order mechanism for loss of mechanical properties of irradiated concrete is due to radiation-induced swelling of aggregates, which leads to volumetric expansion of the concrete. This phenomena is estimated to occur near the end of life of biological shield components in LWRs based on calculations of estimated peak neutron fluence in the shield after 80 years of operation.

The influence of chloride type on the diffusivity of chloride ions inconcrete was studied by experiment. The result shows that the glectric resistance of concrete and the chloride diffusion coefficient are influenced by chloride type. For the same water/cement ratio (W/C), the diffusion coefficient D in KCl solution is larger than that in NaCl solution; however, the concrete resistance in KCl solution is smaller than that in NaCl solution. The experimental result is analyzed with theory of diffusion.

This paper evaluates the use of recycled rubber tyres in the form of rubber crumb as a freeze/thaw protection agent when used inconcrete. Reusing scrap tyres in the form of rubber crumb, inconcrete could benefi t the environment by reducing landfi ll and reducing the chemical usage of air entraining agents. The test procedure involved subjecting concrete to freeze/thaw cycles at 5 days of age. Thawing was conducted inwater to ensure full saturation of pores and maximum stress on the concre...

Storage of radioactive waste inconcrete structures is a means of containing wastes and related radionuclides generated from nuclear operations in many countries. Previous efforts related to microbial impacts on concrete structures that are used to contain radioactive waste showed that microbial activity can play a significant role in the process of concrete degradation and ultimately structural deterioration. This literature review examines the research in this field and is focused on specific parameters that are applicable to modeling and prediction of the fate of concrete structures used to store or dispose of radioactive waste. Rates of concrete biodegradation vary with the environmental conditions, illustrating a need to understand the bioavailability of key compounds involved in microbial activity. Specific parameters require pH and osmotic pressure to be within a certain range to allow for microbial growth as well as the availability and abundance of energy sources such as components involved in sulfur, iron and nitrogen oxidation. Carbon flow and availability are also factors to consider in predicting concrete biodegradation. The microbial contribution to degradation of the concrete structures containing radioactive waste is a constant possibility. The rate and degree of concrete biodegradation is dependent on numerous physical, chemical and biological parameters. Parameters to focus on for modeling activities and possible options for mitigation that would minimize concrete biodegradation are discussed and include key conditions that drive microbial activity on concrete surfaces.

Measurement of chlorine inconcrete is very important for studying of corrosion of reinforcing steel inconcrete. Corrosion of reinforcing steel is primarily ascribed to the penetration of chloride ions to the steel surface. Preventive measures for avoiding concrete structure reinforcement corrosion requires monitoring the chloride ion concentration inconcrete so that its concentration does not exceed a threshold limit to initiate reinforcement concrete corrosion. An accelerator based prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) setup has been developed for non-destructive analysis of elemental composition of concrete samples. The setup has been used to measure chlorine concentration inconcrete samples over a 1-3 wt% concentration range. Although a strong interference has been observed between the chlorine {gamma}-rays and calcium {gamma}-rays from concrete, the chlorine concentration inconcrete samples has been successfully measured using the 1.164 and 7.643 MeV chlorine {gamma}-rays. The experimental data were compared with the results of the Monte Carlo simulations. An excellent agreement has been achieved between the experimental data and results of Monte Carlo simulations. The study has demonstrated the successful use of the accelerator-based PGNAA setup in non-destructive analysis of chlorine inconcrete samples.

Measurement of chlorine inconcrete is very important for studying of corrosion of reinforcing steel inconcrete. Corrosion of reinforcing steel is primarily ascribed to the penetration of chloride ions to the steel surface. Preventive measures for avoiding concrete structure reinforcement corrosion requires monitoring the chloride ion concentration inconcrete so that its concentration does not exceed a threshold limit to initiate reinforcement concrete corrosion. An accelerator based prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) setup has been developed for non-destructive analysis of elemental composition of concrete samples. The setup has been used to measure chlorine concentration inconcrete samples over a 1-3 wt% concentration range. Although a strong interference has been observed between the chlorine gamma-rays and calcium gamma-rays from concrete, the chlorine concentration inconcrete samples has been successfully measured using the 1.164 and 7.643 MeV chlorine gamma-rays. The experimental data were compared with the results of the Monte Carlo simulations. An excellent agreement has been achieved between the experimental data and results of Monte Carlo simulations. The study has demonstrated the successful use of the accelerator-based PGNAA setup in non-destructive analysis of chlorine inconcrete samples.

Full Text Available The effects of the addition of different nanosilica dosages (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% with respect to cement on compressive strength and durability properties of concrete with water/binder ratios 0.65, 0.55, and 0.5 were investigated. Water sorptivity, apparent chloride diffusion coefficient, electrical resistivity, and carbonation coefficient of concrete were measured. The results showed that compressive strength significantly improved in case of water/binder = 0.65, while for water/binder = 0.5 no change was found. Increasing nanosilica content, the water sorptivity decreased only for water/binder = 0.55. The addition of 0.5% nanosilica decreased the apparent chloride diffusion coefficient for water/binder = 0.65 and 0.55; however, higher nanosilica dosages did not decrease it with respect to reference value. The resistivity was elevated by 0.5% nanosilica for all water/binder ratios and by 1.5% nanosilica only for water/binder = 0.5. The carbonation coefficient was not notably affected by increasing nanosilica dosages and even adverse effect was observed for water/binder = 0.65. Further information of microstructure was also provided through characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. The effectiveness of a certain nanosilica dosage addition into lower strength mixes was more noticeable, while, for the higher strength mix, the effectiveness was less.

If we want to make something concretein mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, ‘manipulatives’, in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concretein a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own, abstract, knowledge; in the latter, we try to find an example that the others will be familiar with. This article first looks at the tension between these tw...

Microbial carbonate precipitation has emerged as a promising technology for remediation and restoration of concrete structures. Deterioration of reinforced concrete structures in marine environments is a major concern due to chloride-induced corrosion. In the current study, halophilic bacteria Exiguobacterium mexicanum was isolated from sea water and tested for biomineralization potential under different salt stress conditions. The growth, urease and carbonic anhydrase production significantly increased under salt stress conditions. Maximum calcium carbonate precipitation was recorded at 5 % NaCl concentration. Application of E. mexicanum on concrete specimens significantly increased the compressive strength (23.5 %) and reduced water absorption about five times under 5 % salt stress conditions compared to control specimens. SEM and XRD analysis of bacterial-treated concrete specimens confirmed the precipitation of calcite. The present study results support the potential of this technology for improving the strength and durability properties of building structures in marine environments.

of corrosion products move into the concrete without generating tensile stresses and cracks in the concrete. Typically, corrosion products are thought to occupy pores, interfacial defects, and/or air voids located near the concrete-steel interface and stresses develop only after filling of these pores. Further....... X-ray attenuation measurements are also capable of detecting cracks. Therefore, this approach provides a direct measurement of the amount and location of reinforcement corrosion products required to induce cracking. Results of a parametric investigation on the impact of water-to-cement ratio (0...

Full Text Available The main objective of this research program is to study the effect of using crushed clay brick as an alternative aggregate in aerated concrete. Two series of mixtures were designed to investigate the physico-mechanical properties and micro-structural analysis of autoclave aerated concrete and foamed concrete, respectively. In each series, natural sand was replaced with crushed clay brick aggregate. In both series results showed a significant reduction in unit weight, thermal conductivity and sound attenuation coefficient while porosity has increased. Improvement on compressive strength of autoclave aerated concrete was observed at a percentage of 25% and 50% replacement, while in foamed concrete compressive strength gradually decreased by increasing crushed clay brick aggregate content. A comparatively uniform distribution of pore in case of foamed concrete with natural sand was observed by scanning electron microscope, while the pores were connected mostly and irregularly for mixes containing a percentage higher than 25% clay brick aggregate.

Full Text Available In Belarus concrete with strength up to 60 MPA is used for construction. At the same time high strength concrete with compressive strength above 60 MPA is widely used in all industrially developed countries. High- strength concrete is included in regulatory documents of the European Union and that fact has laid a solid foundation for its application. High strength concrete is produced using highly dispersed silica additives, such as micro-silica and plasticizers (super-plasticizers with a water/cement (w/c ratio not greater than 0.4.Theoretical aspects of high-strength concrete for bridge structures have been studied in the paper. The paper shows a positive impact of highly dispersed additives on structure and physico-mechanical properties of cement compositions, namely: reduction of total porosity of a cement stone inconcrete while increasing volumetric concentration and dispersion of a filler; binding of calcium hydroxide with the help of amorphised micro-silica; increased activity of mineral additives during their thin shredding; acceleration of the initial stage of chemical hardening of cement compositions with highly dispersed particle additives that serve as centers of crystallization; “binder-additive” cluster formation due to high surface energy of highly dispersed additive particles; hardening of surface area between a cement stone and aggregates inconcrete; high-strength concretes are gaining strength much faster than conventional concretes.Technology of preparation and composition of high-strength concrete using highly dispersed mineral additives and super-plasticizer has been developed in the paper. This concrete will ensure a higher density, wa- ter-and gas tightness, increased resistance to aggressive environment, reduced consumption of concrete and reinforcement, reduced transport and installation weight, increased initial strength, early easing of shutters and preliminary compression, increased length of bridge spans

The main objective of this research program is to study the effect of using crushed clay brick as an alternative aggregate in aerated concrete. Two series of mixtures were designed to investigate the physico-mechanical properties and micro-structural analysis of autoclave aerated concrete and foamed concrete, respectively. In each series, natural sand was replaced with crushed clay brick aggregate. In both series results showed a significant reduction in unit weight, thermal conductivity and ...

Full Text Available The compressive strength of the concrete designed using blast cupola furnace slag and granulated cupola slag as a coarse aggregate and partial replacement for cement was investigated. A series of experimental studies were conducted involve concrete production in two stages. The first stage comprised of normal aggregate concrete (NAC produced with normal aggregates and 100% ordinary Portland cement (OPC. Meanwhile, the second stage involved production of concrete comprising of cupola furnace slag an aggregates with 100% ordinary Portland cement (OPC and subsequently with 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% cementitious replacement with granulated cupola furnace slag that had been grounded and milled to less than 75 µm diameter. The outcomes of compressive strength test conducted on the slag aggregate concrete (SAC with and without granulated slag cementitious replacement were satisfactory compared to normal aggregate concretes (NAC.

In a pressure-tension test, a cylindrical concrete specimen is inserted into a cylindrical steel jacket, with a rubber ``O'' ring seal at each end to prevent gas leakage. Gas pressure is then applied to the curved surface of the concrete cylinder, leaving the ends free. As the gas pressure is increased, the specimen eventually fractures across a single plane transverse to the axis of the cylinder. The gas pressure at fracture may then be considered as the tensile strength of the concrete. In this study, the pressure-tension test is used to study fatigue inconcrete. A total of 22 standard concrete cylinders (100 mm × 200 mm) were tested. Both dry and wet specimens have been studied. Low-cycle loading, which involves the application of a few load cycles at high stress levels - such as a concrete structure under earthquake load - has been used in this study. It was found that the concrete specimens in a low-cycle loading fail after only a few cycles of loading and interestingly at a stress level lower than the maximum value applied in the cyclic loading. In addition, non-destructive testing (NDT) was performed to determine the progressive damage due to tensile load inconcrete cylinders using Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV). It was found that UPV can be used to evaluate the damage inconcrete even after the application of a very low-level of tensile stress - as low as 10% of its tensile strength.

This thesis is concerned with modeling of the cracking process in reinforced concrete due to imposed deformations. Cracking is investigated both at early ages, during hydration, and at mature age when the final properties of the concrete are reached. One of the most important material characteristics of the concrete at early ages, the Young`s modulus is determined by means of a dynamic method called the resonance frequency method. 40 refs

The use of composite reinforcing bars (rebars) for the reinforcement of concrete appears as an attractive solution to prevent corrosion, which is the main pathology encountered on concrete structures. Although such rebars are being used for more than ten years, there is a clear lack of knowledge regarding their durability, especially under alkaline environment. This paper aims at investigating the evolutions of tensile properties and bond inconcrete of GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer...

International audience; Corrosion induced by chloride ions has become a critical issue for many reinforced concrete structures. The chloride ingress into concrete has been usually simplified as a diffusion problem where the chloride concentration throughout concrete is estimated analytically. However, this simplified approach has several limitations. For instance, it does not consider chloride ingress by convection which is essential to model chloride penetration in unsaturated conditions as ...

Full Text Available If we want to make something concretein mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, ‘manipulatives’, in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concretein a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own, abstract, knowledge; in the latter, we try to find an example that the others will be familiar with. This article first looks at the tension between these two different ways of making things concrete. Next another role of manipulatives, will be discussed, namely that of means for scaffolding and communication. In this role, manipulatives may function as means of support in a process that aims at helping students to build on their own thinking while constructing more sophisticated mathematics

prematurely. Reinforcement corrosion is identified to be the foremost cause of deterioration. Steel inconcrete is normally protected by a passive layer due the high alkalinity of the concrete pore solution; corrosion is initiated by neutralization through atmospheric carbon dioxide and by ingress...... of depassivation ions, especially chloride ions. The background and consequences of deterioration of reinforced concrete structures caused by steel corrosion are summarized. Selected corrosion mechanisms postulated in the literature are briefly discussed and related to observations. The key factors controlling...... initiation and propagation of corrosion of steel inconcrete are outlined....

This paper describes the first field application of self-healing concrete with alkaliphilic spore-forming bacteria and reinforced with natural fibres. The application took place in the highlands in Ecuador in July 2014. The concrete was cast as linings for an irrigation canal that transports water f

This paper describes the first field application of self-healing concrete with alkaliphilic spore-forming bacteria and reinforced with natural fibres. The application took place in the highlands in Ecuador in July 2014. The concrete was cast as linings for an irrigation canal that transports water

This paper describes the first field application of self-healing concrete with alkaliphilic spore-forming bacteria and reinforced with natural fibres. The application took place in the highlands in Ecuador in July 2014. The concrete was cast as linings for an irrigation canal that transports water f

The beneficial effect of microbially induced carbonate precipitation on building materials has been gradually disclosed in the last decade. After the first applications of on historical stones, promising results were obtained with the respect of improved durability. An extensive study then followed on the application of this environmentally friendly and compatible material on a currently widely used construction material, concrete. This review is focused on the discussion of the impact of the two main applications, bacterial surface treatment and bacteria based crack repair, on concrete durability. Special attention was paid to the choice of suitable bacteria and the metabolic pathway aiming at their functionality inconcrete environment. Interactions between bacterial cells and cementitious matrix were also elaborated. Furthermore, recommendations to improve the effectiveness of bacterial treatment are provided. Limitations of current studies, updated applications and future application perspectives are shortly outlined.

This paper presents a new size effect model for normal strength concrete subjected to uniaxial tension. The model is based on two extremes, sand cement paste in uniaxial tension and a sand-cement-paste/rock interface in uniaxial tension. Uniaxial tension tests with normal strength concrete measuring the tensile strength of normal strength concrete specimens with different geometrical shapes and different ratios of the aggregate size to the characteristic dimension of the concrete specimen show a significant size effect. The theoretical size effect law prediction agrees well with the experimental data.

A five-year-old interface between a Low Alkali Concrete (LAC) formulation (CEM III/B containing 66% slag and 10% nano-silica) and Opalinus Clay (OPA) from a field experiment at Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory in Switzerland (Jenni et al., 2014) has been studied to decipher the textural, mineralogical and chemical changes that occurred between the two reacting materials. Reactivity between LAC concrete and OPA is found to be limited to a ∼1 mm thick highly porous (ca. 75% porosity) white crust developed on the concrete side. Quantitative mineralogical mapping of the white crust using an electron microprobe and infrared spectroscopy on the cement matrix provides evidence of a Mg-rich phase accounting for approximatively 25 wt % of the matrix associated with 11 wt % of calcite, calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) and other cement phases. EDX analyses and electron diffraction combined with transmission electron microscopy of the Mg-rich phase provide evidence for a tri-octahedral 2:1 phyllosilicate with mean composition: (Ca0.5±0.2) (Mg2.0±0.4, Fe0.2±0.1, Al0.5±03, □0.3±0.3) (Al0.9±0.2, Si3.1±0.2) O10 (OH)2, where □ represents vacancies in the octahedral site. Apart from this reactive contact, textural, mineralogical and chemical modifications at the contact with the LAC concrete are limited. OPA mineralogy remains largely unmodified. X-ray micro-fluorescence and EPMA mapping of major elements on the OPA side also provides evidence for a Mg-enriched 300-400 μm thick layer. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) values measured in the OPA in contact with the LAC concrete range between 153 and 175 meq kg-1 of dry OPA, close to the reference value of 170 ± 10 meq kg-1 of dry OPA (Pearson et al., 2003). Changing cation occupancies at the interface with LAC concrete are mainly marked by increased Ca, Mg and K, and decreased Na. Leaching tests performed on OPA with deionized water and at different solid to water ratios strongly suggest that Cl and SO4 have

In this study, the reduction effect of the heat inflow on the rooftop and the indoor thermal environment was measured by using the elementary school building, the rooftop of the bilding was covered with the water contain concrete boards. And, conserve energy effect and effectiveness for the indoor thermal environment improvement were evaluated. The effect of the decrease of the surface temperature and the slab side temperature at water contain concrete boad plot remarkably from the measurement result during the July-September of 2010, the temperatures decrease 22°C at the surface, 15°C at the waterproof layer surface that was caused compared with the gravel covered roof. The water contain concrete boards plot always drove the ceiling side temperature and the indoor temperature low as a result of comparing with the indoor condition of the control plot. The temperature fluctuate was small at time that opened the window and ventilated, and ventilation was discontinued, it became big temperatures fluctuate. The effect of the decrease of 0.5°C in PMV and 0.5 in WBGT was caused while the room had sealed up, and the effect of the decrease of 0.3 in WBGT was caused while the ventilated state.

Small amounts (0.4 cc) of neutral water placed in small cylindrical cavities (5 mm diameter) inconcrete exposed to 100% relative humidity first developed a pH comparable to that of a saturated Ca(OH){sub 2} solution. The pH then increased over a period of days-weeks toward a higher terminal value. A micro pH electrode arrangement was used. This behavior was observed in samples of 12 different concrete mix designs, including some with pozzolanic additions. The average terminal cavity pH closely approached that of expressed pore water from the same concretes. A simplified mathematical model reproduced the experimentally observed behavior. The model assumed inward diffusional transport of the pH-determining species in the surrounding concrete pore solution. The experimental results were consistent with the model predictions when using diffusion parameters on the order of those previously reported for alkali cations inconcrete. The cavity size, cavity water content, and exposure to atmospheric CO{sub 2} should be minimized when attempting to obtain cavity pH values approaching those of the surrounding pore water.

Refractory concrete on the LC-39A Flame Deflector has been damaged during multiple Space Shuttle launches (e.g. STS-124, STS-126, STS-119, and STS-125, STS-127). These events have prompted a better understanding of the system via an analytical model of the Flame Deflector assembly to include the Fondu Fyre refractory concrete. This model requires test data inputs of the refractory concrete's mechanical properties, which include stress versus strain curves in tension and compression, modulus of elasticity, and Poisson's ratio. Sections of Fondu Fyre refractory concrete removed from the LC-39A Flame Deflector were provided for this testing.

An accelerator-based Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) setup has been developed to measure the concentration of corrosive chloride and sulfate contaminants inconcrete. The Minimum Detectable Concentration (MDC) limit of chlorine and sulfur in the concrete depends upon the γ-ray used for elemental analysis. For more interfering γ-rays, the MDC limit is higher than that for less interfering γ-rays. The MDC limit of sulfur inconcrete measured for the KFUPM PGNAA setup was calculated to be 0.60±0.19 wt%. The MDC limit is equal to the upper limit of sulfur concentration inconcrete set by the British Standards. The MDC limit of chlorine inconcrete for the KFUPM PGNAA setup, which was calculated for less interfering 1.165 MeV γ-rays, was found to be 0.075±0.025 wt%. The lower limits of the MDC of chlorine inconcrete was 73% higher than the limit set by American Concrete Institute. The limit of the MDC can be improved to the desired standard by increasing the intensity of neutron source. For moreinterfering 5.715 and 6.110 MeV chlorine γ-rays the MDC limit was found to be 2-3 times larger than that of 1.165 MeV γ-rays. When normalized to the same intensity of the neutron source, the MDC limits of chlorine and sulfur inconcrete from the KFUPM PGNAA setup are better than MDC limits of chlorine inconcrete obtained with the 241Am-Be source-based PGNAA setup. This study has shown that an accelerator-based PGNAA setup can be used in chlorine and sulfur analysis of concrete samples.

Full Text Available This paper presents experimental investigations and theoretical modeling of the hydration reaction of nanosilica blended concrete with different water-to-binder ratios and different nanosilica replacement ratios. The developments of chemically bound water contents, calcium hydroxide contents, and compressive strength of Portland cement control specimens and nanosilica blended specimens were measured at different ages: 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, and 28 days. Due to the pozzolanic reaction of nanosilica, the contents of calcium hydroxide in nanosilica blended pastes are considerably lower than those in the control specimens. Compared with the control specimens, the extent of compressive strength enhancement in the nanosilica blended specimens is much higher at early ages. Additionally, a blended cement hydration model that considers both the hydration reaction of cement and the pozzolanic reaction of nanosilica is proposed. The properties of nanosilica blended concrete during hardening were evaluated using the degree of hydration of cement and the reaction degree of nanosilica. The calculated chemically bound water contents, calcium hydroxide contents, and compressive strength were generally consistent with the experimental results.

Chloride penetration from sea water may cause corrosion of reinforcement inconcrete structures. Adding reactive inorganic materials such as blast furnace slag, fly ash or silica fume to the cement matrix improves the resistance against chloride penetration as compared to Portland cement concrete. A

Full Text Available The reinforced steel corrosion which is the most important problem of reinforced concrete structures durability is generally stipulated for carbonization of concrete surrounding it. Concrete cover calculation at the design stage is predicated one because of the differences in manufacturing conditions and use of constructions. The applying of the probabilistic approaches to the carbonation process modeling allows to get predicated grade of the depth of carbonization of concrete and, thus, to settle minimum concrete cover thickness for a given projected service life of a construction. The procedures for concrete mix design for different strength classes of concrete are described in the article. Current recommendations on assignment of concrete strength class as well as concrete cover are presented. The European Standard EN 206:2013 defines the content requirements for the concrete structures operated in the exposure class XC1, including the minimum values of water-cement ratio, minimum cement content, and minimum strength class of concrete. Since the standard does not include any basis or explanations of the requirements, we made an effort to develop a scientific justification for the mentioned requirements. We developed the probabilistic models for the process of carbonation of concrete based on the concrete mix which was designed using the software VTK-Korroziya. The reinforced concrete structures with concrete cover 20–35 mm operated in the most unfavorable conditions within the exposure class XC1 were analyzed. The corresponding probabilistic calculations of the depth of carbonated concrete are described in the article.

Assessing long-term performance of Category 3 waste cement grouts for radionuclide encasement requires knowledge of the radionuclide-cement interactions and mechanisms of retention (i.e., sorption or precipitation); the mechanism of contaminant release; the significance of contaminant release pathways; how wasteform performance is affected by the full range of environmental conditions within the disposal facility; the process of wasteform aging under conditions that are representative of processes occurring in response to changing environmental conditions within the disposal facility; the effect of wasteform aging on chemical, physical, and radiological properties; and the associated impact on contaminant release. This knowledge will enable accurate prediction of radionuclide fate when the wasteforms come in contact with groundwater. Data collected throughout the course of this work will be used to quantify the efficacy of concrete wasteforms, similar to those used in the disposal of low-level waste and mixed low-level waste, for the immobilization of key radionuclides (i.e., uranium, technetium, and iodine). Data collected will also be used to quantify the physical and chemical properties of the concrete affecting radionuclide retention.

Abiotic and biotic oxidation of hydrogen sulfide related to concrete corrosion was studied in corrosion products originating from a sewer manhole. The concrete corrosion products were suspended in an acidic solution, mimicking the conditions in the pore water of corroded concrete. The removal of hydrogen sulfide and dissolved oxygen was measured in parallel in the suspension, upon which the suspension was sterilized and the measurement repeated. The results revealed the biotic oxidation to be fast compared with the abiotic oxidation. The stoichiometry of the hydrogen sulfide oxidation was evaluated using the ratio between oxygen and hydrogen sulfide uptake. The ratio for the biotic oxidation pointed in the direction of elemental sulfur being formed as an intermediate in the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to sulfuric acid. The experimental results were applied to suggest a hypothesis and a mathematical model describing the hydrogen sulfide oxidation pathway in a matrix of corroded concrete.

A laboratory evaluation of how variations in cover design and properties determine its effectiveness in controlling corrosion in reinforced concretesin marine structures is described. The effect of concrete type and composition on chloride ingress and corrosion rate was studied for four simulated marine environments. Contrary to expectation, significant corrosion did not take place in reinforcement placed at 30 mm cover after 30 months exposure, even inconcretes of lower strengths and higher water/cement ratios than mixes employed in the North Sea. Unexpected crevice corrosion let to the exclusion of electrochemical data and restricted the opportunity of correlating the properties of the cover with the onset and rate of corrosion of reinforcement. The project did, however, provide valuable data on in situ strength, moisture content, permeability, resistivity, carbonation and rate of chloride ingress. Limited data is also available on the pore structure of the cover and its oxygen diffusion characteristics. It is emphasised that all results refer to uncracked concrete. (author).

Full Text Available Manufactured sand differs from natural sea and river dredged sand in its physical and mineralogical properties. These can be both beneficial and detrimental to the fresh and hardened properties of concrete. This paper presents the results of a laboratory study in which manufactured sand produced in an industry sized crushing plant was characterised with respect to its physical and mineralogical properties. The influence of these characteristics on concrete workability and strength, when manufactured sand completely replaced natural sand inconcrete, was investigated and modelled using artificial neural networks (ANN. The results show that the manufactured sand concrete made in this study generally requires a higher water/cement (w/c ratio for workability equal to that of natural sand concrete due to the higher angularity of the manufactured sand particles. Water reducing admixtures can be used to compensate for this if the manufactured sand does not contain clay particles. At the same w/c ratio, the compressive and flexural strength of manufactured sand concrete exceeds that of natural sand concrete. ANN proved a valuable and reliable method of predicting concrete strength and workability based on the properties of the fine aggregate (FA and the concrete mix composition.

Palm oil fuel ash (POFA), a by-product from the palm oil industry, is disposed of as waste in landfills. In this study, POFA was utilized as a pozzolan inconcrete. The original size POFA (termed OP) was ground until the median particle sizes were 15.9 microm (termed MP) and 7.4 microm (termed SP). Portland cement Type I was replaced by OP, MP, and SP of 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% by weight of binder. The properties of concrete, such as setting time, compressive strength, and expansion due to magnesium sulfate attack were investigated. The results revealed that the use of POFA inconcretes caused delay in both initial and final setting times, depending on the fineness and degree of replacement of POFA. The compressive strength of concrete containing OP was much lower than that of Portland cement Type I concrete. Thus, OP is not suitable to be used as a pozzolanic material inconcrete. However, the replacement of Portland cement Type I by 10% of MP and 20% of SP gave the compressive strengths of concrete at 90 days higher than that of concrete made from Portland cement Type I. After being immersed in 5% of magnesium sulfate solution for 364 days, the concrete bar mixed with 30% of SP had the same expansion level as that of the concrete bar made from Portland cement Type V. The above results suggest that ground POFA is an excellent pozzolanic material and can be used as a cement replacement inconcrete. It is recommended that the optimum replacement levels of Portland cement Type I by MP and SP are 20% and 30%, respectively.

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is a chemical reaction in either concrete or mortar between hydroxyl ions of the alkalis (sodium and potassium) from hydraulic cement (or other sources), and certain siliceous minerals present in some aggregates. The reaction product, an alkali-silica gel, is hygroscopic having a tendency to absorb water and swell, which under certain circumstances, leads to abnormal expansion and cracking of the concrete. This phenomenon affects the durability and performance of concrete structures severely since it can cause significant loss of mechanical properties. Developing reliable methods and tools that can evaluate the degree of the ASR damage in existing structures, so that informed decisions can be made toward mitigating ASR progression and damage, is important to the long term operation of nuclear power plants especially if licenses are extended beyond 60 years. This paper examines an automated method of determining the extent of ASR damage in fabricated concrete specimens.

For the first time, chloride ions are measured wirelessly inconcrete. The half-cell potential of a silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) electrode, which corresponds to the concentration of chloride ions, is measured wirelessly. The sensor system (the Ag/AgCl and a reference electrode) is embedded in co

Concrete, Representational, Abstract (CRA) instruction is a process for teaching and learning mathematical concepts. Starting with manipulation of concrete materials (counters, beans, Unifix cubes), the process moves students to the representational level (tallies, dots, stamps), and peaks at the abstract level, at which numbers and symbols are…

is essential for understanding the fracture mechanism of concretein compression. In this paper a series of tests is reported, carried out for the purpose of studying the fracture mechanical properties of concretein compression. Including the measurement and study of the descending branch, a new experimental...

In this paper, the phenomenon of spalling of concretein fire has been studied using a numerical model. Spalling is the violent or non-violent breaking off of layers or pieces of concrete when it is exposed to high temperatures as experienced in fires. The types and mechanisms of spalling have been

In this paper, the phenomenon of spalling of concretein fire has been studied using a numerical model. Spalling is the violent or non-violent breaking off of layers or pieces of concrete when it is exposed to high temperatures as experienced in fires. The types and mechanisms of spalling have been

In the first part of the 20th century concrete hinges developed by Freyssinet and Mesnager were widely tested and implemented inconcrete structures. The concrete hinges were used a great deal in closed-spandrel arch bridges. Since such a bridge type has not been competitive for the past 40 years......, the research inconcrete hinges has not evolved significantly in that period. But introducing a new state-of-the-art concrete arch bridge solution (Pearl-Chain arches invented at the Technical University of Denmark) creates a necessity of a concrete hinge research based on modern standards. Back when research...... inconcrete hinges was more common different designs were proposed for the geometry and reinforcement. Previous research focused on fatigue, multi-axial stresses around the hinge throat, and the relation between rotation- and moment. But many different test-setups were proposed by different researchers...

Many disposal concepts currently show that concrete is an effective confinement material used in engineered barrier systems (EBS) at a number of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal sites. Cement-based materials have properties for the encapsulation, isolation, or retardation of a variety of hazardous contaminants. The reactive chemical transport model of HYDROGEOCHEM 5.0 was applied to simulate the effect of hydrogeochemical processes on concrete barrier degradation in an EBS which has been proposed to use in the LLW disposal site in Taiwan. The simulated results indicated that the main processes that are responsible for concrete degradation are the species induced from hydrogen ion, sulfate, and chloride. The EBS with the side ditch drainage system effectively discharges the infiltrated water and lowers the solute concentrations that may induce concrete degradation. The redox processes markedly influence the formations of the degradation materials. The reductive environment in the EBS reduces the formation of ettringite inconcrete degradation processes. Moreover, the chemical conditions in the concrete barriers maintain an alkaline condition after 300 years in the proposed LLW repository. This study provides a detailed picture of the long-term evolution of the hydrogeochemical environment in the proposed LLW disposal site in Taiwan.

Why glazed concrete? Concrete hardens and finds its strength at room temperature whereas clay products must first be fired before they achieve this strength. They are stronger and three times as durable as clay products, which is a weighty reason for choosing concrete.5 Another reason, which....... If this succeeds, it will be possible to manufacture thin, large-scale glazed concrete panels comparable in size to concrete sandwich construction and larger which, with or without back-casting, can work as load-bearing construction elements....

Why glazed concrete? Concrete hardens and finds its strength at room temperature whereas clay products must first be fired before they achieve this strength. They are stronger and three times as durable as clay products, which is a weighty reason for choosing concrete.5 Another reason, which....... If this succeeds, it will be possible to manufacture thin, large-scale glazed concrete panels comparable in size to concrete sandwich construction and larger which, with or without back-casting, can work as load-bearing construction elements....

Full Text Available Raising of problem. Concrete advisable to obtain a low strength with local secondary resources for recycling and reduce the environmental burden on the environment. But it is important to design such concrete compositions with a reduced flow of cement. It is known that the coefficient of efficiency of use of cement in the concrete of the heavy and B10 is less than about 0.5, which is almost two times smaller than in class B15 concrete and above. Even lower coefficient of efficiency in light concrete cement low strength. Therefore, it is important to find patterns determining the composition of lightweight concrete based on local-products industry with more efficient use of cement in them. Purpose.. Based on the analysis of earlier research results, including with the use of methods of mathematical planning of experiments to determine the concrete contents, which can provide the requirements for the underlying layers of the floor, the compressive strength of which should correspond to the class B5. It is important to provide the required strength at minimum flow of the cement, which is the most expensive and energy-intensive part of concrete. Conclusion. Analysis of the test results of control samples of concretein 28-day-old, the following laws. The required tensile strength of concrete compressive strength of 7.0 MPa can be obtained in the test range when used in formulations as a filler as the Dnieper hydroelectric power station fly ash and tailings Krivoy Rog iron ore YuGOK. To ensure providing the required characteristic strength of the concretein the underlying layers of the floor is advisable to use a nominal composition per cubic meter of concrete: cement 160 kg granshlaka Plant named after Petrovsky, 675 kg of fly ash Dnieper HPP 390 kg, 400 kg of sand, 230 liters of water. Thus, while ensuring rational grain composition components can obtain the desired strength lightweight concrete based granshlaka plant Petrovsky, using as fillers

The paper deals with the anchorage of reinforcement bars at end supports in beam component made of lightweight aggregate concrete with open structure.......The paper deals with the anchorage of reinforcement bars at end supports in beam component made of lightweight aggregate concrete with open structure....

The present understanding of selected corrosion phenomena in reinforced concrete is reviewed. Special emphasis is given to chloride induced corrosion. There is a general acceptance of the basic corrosion mechanism for steel inconcrete. However different anodic reactions governing the subsequent...

Concrete block pavements (c.b.p.) commonly consist of concrete blocks placed over a granular substructure. As a result of wheel load passages permanent strains will slowly develop in the substructure and cause rutting. This paper is about the prediction of the permanent strain development in the sub

Reinforced concrete has been developed and applied extensively in the 20th century. It combines the good compressive strength of concrete with the high tensile strength of steel and has proven to be successful in terms of structural performance and durability. However, there are instances of prematu

This case deals with the large cultural perspectives and the technological imagination evident in the Swedish critic Torsten Ekbom's review of Danish concrete poetry......This case deals with the large cultural perspectives and the technological imagination evident in the Swedish critic Torsten Ekbom's review of Danish concrete poetry...

An experimental study of the influence of autogeneous healing on chloride ingress in cracked concrete is presented. In the study, two concrete mixtures (a Portland cement mix and a blast furnace slag mix), two healing regimes (submerged and fog room regime), two cracking ages (14 and 28 days), and m

An experimental study of the influence of autogeneous healing on chloride ingress in cracked concrete is presented. In the study, two concrete mixtures (a Portland cement mix and a blast furnace slag mix), two healing regimes (submerged and fog room regime), two cracking ages (14 and 28 days), and m

With the economic development and population growth in Beijing, there is a strong need for construction and housing, which leads to the increase of the construction areas. Meanwhile, as a local provided material, the production of concrete has been raised. In the process of concrete production by concrete batching, there are numerous particulates emitted, which have large effect on the atmospheric environment, however, systematic study about the tempo-spatial characteristics of pollutant emission from concrete batching is still rare. In this study, we estimated the emission of particulates from concrete batching from 1991 to 2012 using emission factor method, analyzed the tempo-spatial characteristics of pollutant emission, established the uncertainty range by adopting Monte-Carlo method, and predicted the future emission in 2020 based on the relative environmental and economical policies. The results showed that: (1) the emissions of particulates from concrete batching showed a trend of "first increase and then decrease", reaching the maximum in 2005, and then decreased due to stricter emission standard and enhanced environmental management. (2) according to spatial distribution, the emission of particulates from concrete batch mainly concentrated in the urban area with more human activities, and the area between the fifth ring and the sixth ring contributed the most. (3) through scenarios analysis, for further reducing the emission from concrete batching in 2020, more stricter standard for green production as well as powerful supervision is needed.

This revised, fully updated second edition covers the analysis, design, and construction of reinforced concrete structures from a real-world perspective. It examines different reinforced concrete elements such as slabs, beams, columns, foundations, basement and retaining walls and pre-stressed concrete incorporating the most up-to-date edition of the American Concrete Institute Code (ACI 318-14) requirements for the design of concrete structures. It includes a chapter on metric system in reinforced concrete design and construction. A new chapter on the design of formworks has been added which is of great value to students in the construction engineering programs along with practicing engineers and architects. This second edition also includes a new appendix with color images illustrating various concrete construction practices, and well-designed buildings. The ACI 318-14 constitutes the most extensive reorganization of the code in the past 40 years. References to the various sections of the ACI 318-14 are pro...

Full Text Available Multivariate techniques are used in this study to analyze the monitoring data displacements of a concrete dam, measured by means of pendulums, extensometer bases and multiple rod extensometers, taking into account the action of environmental conditions, bounded by the surface temperature of the concrete at ambient temperature and the tank water level. The canonical correlation analysis is used to evaluate the influence of environmental variables in the displacement of structures and dam foundations. The factor analysis is used to identify data sources of variability and order the sensors according to the action of factors. The dates of the measurements are grouped according to similarities in the present observations, by applying the cluster analysis. Then the discriminant analysis is used to assess the groups as to their homogeneity. The results demonstrate that the techniques used for distinguishing the dam responses and identify the effects of changes in environmental conditions on the displacements of the structures and dam foundations.

practice and inherent problems are dealt with. Some recommendations on concrete specifications and production technique are also presented. The second part of the paper presents conventional concrete problems as observed in quaywall structures in harbour basins. On the background of the first two parts......Concrete is a cheap and extremely handy material and as such used extensively also in marine structures. Everybody dealing with this material knows examples of concrete apparently of almost infinite durability but also examples where serious degradation started shortly after completion...... of the structure. It is a fact that despite the tremendous amount of research and despite the material having been used for generations, the difference between success and failure is still small. The paper is in three parts. In the first part, which deals with concretein breakwater structures, the conventional...

This paper deals with digital integration between design and fabrication in order to construct a complex double-curved concrete surface. This research focused on practical application of CNC technology to polyurethane (EPS), as an alternative to concrete formwork. The influence of specific EPS...

Crack propagation in strengthened concrete disks is a problem that has not yet been addressed properly. To investigate it, a cracked half-infinite disk of concrete is strengthened with a linear elastic material bonded to the surface, and analyzed using two different finite element modeling approa...

Over the last 25 years, cathodic protection (CP) of reinforced concrete structures suffering from chloride induced reinforcement corrosion has shown to be successful and durable. CP current causes steel polarisation, electrochemical reactions and ion transport in the concrete. CP systems are designe

Exposure to a saline environment is a major threat with respect to the durability of reinforced concrete structures. The chloride ions, which are present in seawater and de-icing salts, are able to penetrate the concrete up to the depth of the reinforcement. They can eventually trigger a pitting cor

As the developing world is industrializing and people migrate to cities, the need for infrastructure is growing quickly and concrete has become one of the most widely used construction materials. One poor construction practice observed widely across the developing world is the minimal use of reinforcement for concrete structures due to the high cost of steel. As a low-cost, high-performance material with good mechanical properties, bamboo has been investigated as an alternative to steel for reinforcing concrete. The goal of this research is to add to the knowledge base of bamboo reinforced concrete (BRC) by investigating a unique stirrup design and testing the lap-splicing of flexural bamboo reinforcement inconcrete beams. Component tests on the mechanical properties of Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) were performed, including tensile tests and pull-out tests. The results of the component tests were used to design and construct 13 BRC beams which were tested under monotonic gravity loading in 3 and 4-point bending tests. Three types of beams were designed and tested, including shear controlled, flexure controlled, and lap-spliced flexure controlled beams. The test results indicated that bamboo stirrups increased unreinforced concrete beam shear capacities by up to 259%. The flexural bamboo increased beam capacities by up to 242% with an optimal reinforcement ratio of up to 3.9%, assuming sufficient shear capacity. Limitations of the bamboo reinforcement included water absorption as well as poor bonding capability to the concrete. The test results show that bamboo is a viable alternative to steel as tensile reinforcement for concrete as it increases the ultimate capacity of the concrete, allows for high deflections and cracks, and provides warning of impending structural failure.

Recent years have seen enormous advances in the technology of concrete as a material, through which its strength, compactness and ductility can reach levels never dreamed of before. Thanks to these improved material properties, the strength and durability of concrete structures is greatly improved, their weight and dimensions reduced, the scope of concrete as a structural material is widened and – despite the higher material costs – overall economy is possible, with positive impacts on sustainability as well. Similar advances are underway in reinforcing materials, notably high strength steel and fibre-reinforced polymers, and in the way they are combined with concrete into high performance structures. Developments in materials and equipment, as well as new concepts, have lead to innovative construction techniques, reducing cost and construction time and making possible the application of concrete under extreme conditions of construction or environment. All these advances will be highlighted in the book by...

Full Text Available The damage of concrete subjected to explosion loading is an important issue in defense engineering. The damage degree of concrete is related to many factors, such as the type of explosive charge, the depth of burial and the parameters of concrete. In this paper, three factors are considered for experiments of shelled explosives inconcrete targets, which are the filling coefficient, length-to-diameter ratio and the depth of burial. The filling coefficient is from 0.1 to 1 by changing thickness of shell, and length-to-diameter ratio is from 2.5 to 10. The unconfined compressive strength of concrete target for test is 35MPa. The experimental results showed that the sizes of craters of concretes are varied as the filling coefficient, length-to-diameter ratio and the depth of burial. The optimal values of filling coefficient, length-to-diameter ratio and the depth of burial of shelled charges were obtained to get largest damage regions of concrete targets. This work provides a base for evaluating the damage of concrete and designing the penetrating warhead.Defence Science Journal, 2010, 60(6, pp.672-677, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.60.434

Plastics have become an essential part of our modern lifestyle, and the global plastic production has increased immensely during the past 50years. This has contributed greatly to the production of plastic-related waste. Reuse of waste and recycled plastic materials inconcrete mix as an environmental friendly construction material has drawn attention of researchers in recent times, and a large number of studies reporting the behavior of concrete containing waste and recycled plastic materials have been published. This paper summarizes the current published literature until 2015, discussing the material properties and recycling methods of plastic and the influence of plastic materials on the properties of concrete. To provide a comprehensive review, a total of 84 studies were considered, and they were classified into sub categories based on whether they dealt with concrete containing plastic aggregates or plastic fibers. Furthermore, the morphology of concrete containing plastic materials is described in this paper to explain the influence of plastic aggregates and plastic fibers on the properties of concrete. The properties of concretes containing virgin plastic materials were also reviewed to establish their similarities and differences with concrete containing recycled plastics.

Full Text Available This study was carried out to identify the safety aspects and the level of safety during the installation process in construction sites. A questionnaire survey and interviews were done to provide data on safety requirements in precast concrete construction. All of the interviews and the research questionnaire survey were conducted among contractors that are registered as class 1 to class 7 with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB and class A to class G with Pusat Khidmat Kontraktor (PKK in Penang. Returned questionnaires were analysed with the use of simple percentages and the Likert Scale analysis method to identify safety aspects of precast construction. The results indicate that the safety aspect implemented by companies involved in the precast construction process is at a good level in the safety aspect during bracing, propping, welding and grouting processes and at a very good level of safety in general aspects and safety aspects during lifting processes.

ASTM C 618 prohibits use of biomass fly ashes inconcrete. This document compares the properties of biomass fly ashes from cofired (herbaceous with coal), pure wood combustion and blended (pure wood fly ash blended with coal fly ash) to those of coal fly ash inconcrete. The results illustrate that with 25% replacement (wt%) of cement by fly ash, the compressive strength (one day to one year) and the flexure strength (at 56th day curing) of cofired and blended biomass fly ash concrete is statistically equal to that of two coal fly ash concretein this investigation (at 95% confidence interval). This implies that biomass fly ash with co-firing concentration within the concentration interest to commercial coal-biomass co-firing operations at power plants and blended biomass fly ash within a certain blending ratio should be considered inconcrete. 37 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs.

Full Text Available Fiber-reinforced concrete represents the current tendency to apply more efficient crack-resistant concrete. For instance, polyethylene terephthalate (PET is a polyester polymer obtained from recyclable bottles; it has been widely used to produce fibers to obtain cement-based products with improved properties. Therefore, this paper reports on an experimental study of recycled-bottle-PET fiber-reinforced concrete. Fibers with lengths of 10, 15 and 20 mm and volume fractions of 0.05, 0.18 and 0.30% related to the volume of the concrete were used. Physical and mechanical characterization of the concrete was performed, including the determination of compressive strength, flexural strength, Young's modulus and fracture toughness as well as analysis using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Flexure and impact tests were performed after 28 and 150 days. No significant effect of the fiber addition on the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity was observed. However, the Young's modulus was observed to decrease as the fiber volume increased. At 28 days, the concrete flexural toughness and impact resistance increased with the presence of PET fibers, except for the 0.05 vol.% sample. However, at 150 days, this improvement was no longer present due to recycled-bottle-PET fiber degradation in the alkaline concrete environment, as visualized by SEM observations. An increase in porosity also has occurred at 365 days for the fiber-reinforced concrete, as determined by MIP.

The ultrasonic tomographic technology is applied to diagnose the defects in hydraulic concrete structure. In order to improve the precision of diagnoses, the wavelet transformation is used in the processing of ultrasonic signals. The influences of water, scale and ori-entation of defect, processing methods and theoretical model on image resolution are investigated. The experi-mental results indicate that the result of the tomographic diagnosis of a single defect is sensitive and the boundary can be clearly determined. However, the image resolution of multiple defects is not satisfactory. The water content and scale of a defect may significantly affect the imaging resolution. Defects with the orientation perpendicular to the direction of the diagnosis may have higher precision in diagnosing. The wavelet transformation technology can elevate the imaging resolution. The applied calculation model plays a very important role in improving the accu-racy of detection.

We present a numerical modelling of elastoplastic damage due to drying shrinkage of concretein the framework of mechanics of partially saturated porous media. An elastoplastic model coupled with isotropic damage is first formulated. Two plastic flow mechanisms are involved, controlled by applied stress and suction, respectively. A general concept of net effective stress is used in take into account effects of capillary pressure and material damage on stress-controlled plastic deformation. Damage evolution depends both on elastic and plastic strains. The model's parameters are determined or chosen from relevant experimental data. Comparisons between numerical simulations and experimental data are presented to show the capacity of model to reproduce mains features of concrete behaviour under mechanical loading and during drying shrinkage of concrete. An example of application concerning drying of a concrete wall is finally presented. The results obtained allow to show potential capacity of proposed model for numerical modelling of complex coupling processes inconcrete structures.

Concrete core samples from C basin were characterized through material testing and analysis to verify the design inputs for structural analysis of the L Basin and to evaluate the type and extent of changes in the material condition of the concrete under extended service for fuel storage. To avoid the impact on operations, core samples were not collected from L area, but rather, several concrete core samples were taken from the C Basin prior to its closure. C basin was selected due to its similar environmental exposure and service history compared to L Basin. The microstructure and chemical composition of the concrete exposed to the water was profiled from the water surface into the wall to evaluate the impact and extent of exposure. No significant leaching of concrete components was observed. Ingress of carbonation or deleterious species was determined to be insignificant. No evidence of alkali-silica reactions (ASR) was observed. Ettringite was observed to form throughout the structure (in air voids or pores); however, the sulfur content was measured to be consistent with the initial concrete that was used to construct the facility. Similar ettringite trends were observed in the interior segments of the core samples. The compressive strength of the concrete at the mid-wall of the basin was measured, and similar microstructural analysis was conducted on these materials post compression testing. The microstructure was determined to be similar to near-surface segments of the core samples. The average strength was 4148 psi, which is well-above the design strength of 2500 psi. The analyses showed that phase alterations and minor cracking in a microstructure did not affect the design specification for the concrete.

Concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes (CFFTs) have attracted interest for their structural applications in corrosive environments. However, a weak interfacial strength between the fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube and the concrete infill may develop due to concrete shrinkage and inadequate concrete compaction during concrete casting, which will destroy the confinement effect and thereby reduce the load bearing capacity of a CFFT. In this paper, the lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based ultrasonic time-of-flight (TOF) method was adopted to assess the concrete infill condition of CFFTs. The basic idea of this method is that the velocity of the ultrasonic wave propagation in the FRP material is about half of that inconcrete material. Any voids or debonding created along the interface between the FRP tube and the concrete will delay the arrival time between the pairs of PZT transducers. A comparison of the arrival times of the PZT pairs between the intact and the defected CFFT was made to assess the severity of the voids or the debonding. The feasibility of the methodology was analyzed using a finite-difference time-domain-based numerical simulation. Experiments were setup to validate the numerical results, which showed good agreement with the numerical findings. The results showed that the ultrasonic time-of-flight method is able to detect the concrete infill condition of CFFTs.

The existing stochastic models for deterioration of reinforced concrete structures is extended by adding modelling of "loss of bond" due to corrosion between the reinforcement bars and the surrounding concrete.......The existing stochastic models for deterioration of reinforced concrete structures is extended by adding modelling of "loss of bond" due to corrosion between the reinforcement bars and the surrounding concrete....

Long-term storage of low level radioactive material in below ground concrete disposal units (DUs) (Saltstone Disposal Facility) is a means of depositing wastes generated from nuclear operations of the U.S. Department of Energy. Based on the currently modeled degradation mechanisms, possible microbial induced effects on the structural integrity of buried low level wastes must be addressed. Previous international efforts related to microbial impacts on concrete structures that house low level radioactive waste showed that microbial activity can play a significant role in the process of concrete degradation and ultimately structural deterioration. This literature review examines the recent research in this field and is focused on specific parameters that are applicable to modeling and prediction of the fate of concrete vaults housing stored wastes and the wastes themselves. Rates of concrete biodegradation vary with the environmental conditions, illustrating a need to understand the bioavailability of key compounds involved in microbial activity. Specific parameters require pH and osmotic pressure to be within a certain range to allow for microbial growth as well as the availability and abundance of energy sources like components involved in sulfur, iron and nitrogen oxidation. Carbon flow and availability are also factors to consider in predicting concrete biodegradation. The results of this review suggest that microbial activity in Saltstone, (grouted low level radioactive waste) is unlikely due to very high pH and osmotic pressure. Biodegradation of the concrete vaults housing the radioactive waste however, is a possibility. The rate and degree of concrete biodegradation is dependent on numerous physical, chemical and biological parameters. Results from this review point to parameters to focus on for modeling activities and also, possible options for mitigation that would minimize concrete biodegradation. In addition, key chemical components that drive microbial

A new concrete, containing galena mineral, with enhanced shielding properties for gamma sources is developed. To achieve optimized shielding properties, ten types of galena concrete containing different mixing ratios and a reference normal concrete of 2300 kg/m3 density are studied experimentally and numerically using Monte Carlo and XCOM codes. For building galena concrete, in addition to the main composition, micro-silica and water, galena mineral (contai...

A large number of changes, new activities and approaches have been tested at DTU in the teaching of concrete structures: Use of mandatory assignments, handing out solutions before or after exercises, detailed or summary solutions, brush-up teaching materials, strengthened consistency in solutions...... impact on the students learning – what worked very well and what had no effect. The author will also identify which of these activities, that can be implemented easily and have the largest effect - eventually with the inclusion of the students......., videolectures recorded from lectures or produced from Powerpoint, electroic examples, inductive approach, repetition for reexams with or without lectures or supervisor or E-learning material, instruction videos for lab testing and many other things. The author will present his approaches and the resulting...

The development of permanent lunar bases is constrained by performance of construction materials and availability of in-situ resources. Concrete seems a suitable construction material for the lunar environment, but water, one of its major components, is an extremely scarce resource on the Moon. This study explores an alternative to hydraulic concrete by replacing the binding mix of concrete (cement and water) with sulfur. Sulfur is a volatile element on the lunar surface that can be extracted from lunar soils by heating. Sulfur concrete mixes were prepared to investigate the effect of extreme environmental conditions on the properties of sulfur concrete. A hypervelocity impact test was conducted, having as its target a 5-cm cubic sample of sulfur concrete. This item consisted of JSC-1 lunar regolith simulant (65%) and sulfur (35%). The sample was placed in the MSFC Impact Test Facility s Micro Light Gas Gun target chamber, and was struck by a 1-mm diameter (1.4e-03 g) aluminum projectile at 5.85 km/s. In addition, HZTERN code, provided by NASA was used to study the effectiveness of sulfur concrete when subjected to space radiation.

Full Text Available Over the vast Northwest China, arid desert contains high concentrations of sulfate, chloride, and other chemicals in the ground water, which poses serious challenges to infrastructure construction that routinely utilizes portland cement concrete. Rapid industrialization in the region has been generating huge amounts of mineral admixtures, such as fly ash and slags from energy and metallurgical industries. These industrial by-products would turn into waste materials if not utilized in time. The present study evaluated the suitability of utilizing local mineral admixtures in significant quantities for producing quality concrete mixtures that can withstand the harsh chemical environment without compromising the essential mechanical properties. Comprehensive chemical, mechanical, and durability tests were conducted in the laboratory to characterize the properties of the local cementitious mineral admixtures, cement mortar and portland cement concrete mixtures containing these admixtures. The results from this study indicated that the sulfate resistance of concrete was effectively improved by adding local class F fly ash and slag, or by applying sulfate resistance cement to the mixtures. It is noteworthy that concrete containing local mineral admixtures exhibited much lower permeability (in terms of chloride ion penetration than ordinary portland cement concrete while retaining the same mechanical properties; whereas concrete mixtures made with sulfate resistance cement had significantly reduced strength and much increased chloride penetration comparing to the other mixtures. Hence, the use of local mineral admixtures in Northwest China inconcrete mixtures would be beneficial to the performance of concrete, as well as to the protection of environment.

Sulfate attack and the accompanying crystallization of fibrous ettringite [Ca{sub 6}Al{sub 2}(OH){sub 12}(SO{sub 4}){sub 3} {center_dot} 26H{sub 2}O] cause cracking and loss of strength inconcrete structures. Hard synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction is used to quantify the orientation distribution of ettringite crystals. Diffraction images are analyzed using the Rietveld method to obtain information on textures. The analysis reveals that the c axes of the trigonal crystallites are preferentially oriented perpendicular to the fracture surfaces. By averaging single-crystal elastic properties over the orientation distribution, it is possible to estimate the elastic anisotropy of ettringite aggregates.

Highlights: • A meso-scale finite element model for irradiated concrete is developed. • Neutron radiation-induced volumetric expansion is a predominant degradation mode. • Confrontation with expansion and damage obtained from experiments is successful. • Effects of paste shrinkage, creep and ductility are discussed. - Abstract: A numerical model accounting for the effects of neutron irradiation on concrete at the mesoscale is detailed in this paper. Irradiation experiments in test reactor (Elleuch et al., 1972), i.e., in accelerated conditions, are simulated. Concrete is considered as a two-phase material made of elastic inclusions (aggregate) subjected to thermal and irradiation-induced swelling and embedded in a cementitious matrix subjected to shrinkage and thermal expansion. The role of the hardened cement paste in the post-peak regime (brittle-ductile transition with decreasing loading rate), and creep effects are investigated. Radiation-induced volumetric expansion (RIVE) of the aggregate cause the development and propagation of damage around the aggregate which further develops in bridging cracks across the hardened cement paste between the individual aggregate particles. The development of damage is aggravated when shrinkage occurs simultaneously with RIVE during the irradiation experiment. The post-irradiation expansion derived from the simulation is well correlated with the experimental data and, the obtained damage levels are fully consistent with previous estimations based on a micromechanical interpretation of the experimental post-irradiation elastic properties (Le Pape et al., 2015). The proposed modeling opens new perspectives for the interpretation of test reactor experiments in regards to the actual operation of light water reactors.

The paper presents the last studies and researches accomplished in Cluj-Napoca related to high performance concrete, high strength concrete and self compacting concrete. The purpose of this paper is to raid upon the advantages and inconveniences when a particular concrete type is used. Two concrete recipes are presented, namely for the concrete used in rigid pavement for roads and another one for self-compacting concrete.

Full Text Available The paper presents the last studies and researches accomplished in Cluj-Napoca related to high performance concrete, high strength concrete and self compacting concrete. The purpose of this paper is to raid upon the advantages and inconveniences when a particular concrete type is used. Two concrete recipes are presented, namely for the concrete used in rigid pavement for roads and another one for self-compacting concrete.

Cracks in covering concrete are known to hasten initiation of steel corrosion in reinforced concrete structures. To minimise the impact of cracks on the deterioration of reinforced concrete structures, current approaches in (inter)national design codes often limit the concrete surface crack width....... Recent investigations however, indicate that the concrete-reinforcement interfacial condition is a more fundamental criterion related to reinforcement corrosion. This work investigates the relation between macroscopic damage at the concrete-steel interface and corrosion initiation of reinforcement...... embedded in plain and fibre reinforced concrete. Comparisons of experimental and numerical results indicate a strong correlation between corrosion initiation and interfacial condition....

Full Text Available The study is aboutthe use and comparison of three non-destructive methods (dynamic auscultation, sclerometric auscultation and auscultation by RADAR (Radio Detecting and Ranging to monitor and assess the quality of concrete. Samples of reinforced concrete panels, dimensions 200x100x30 cm of concrete dosed at 350 kg/m3 with diverse E/C ratio were achieved, conserved in the laboratory and subjected to various non-destructive test. The synthesis of the results obtained by auscultation RADAR shows a decrease in the propagation speed of the electromagnetic wave with an increase of the E/C ratio and a decrease in resistance of concrete values measured and confirmed by other non-destructive techniques (sclerometric and dynamic auscultations. This shows that more the dielectric constant is high, morethe concrete resistance is reduced, and conversely the opposite.

In the case of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes, most current repository designs envisage the use of large volumes of cementitious materials to immobilise the wastes and to backfill the repository. Tackling the difficult problems of evaluating the long-term alteration of concrete by groundwater after disposal, the generation of high pH in cement pore waters, the interaction between cement leachates and the host rock and the related transport of radionuclides are commonly achieved using a combination of laboratory, URL and natural analogue studies. Our group is developing an experimental approach which consists to immerse cylindric commercial concretein existing wells and let it in contact with groundwater for several days to several months. Groundwater quality is monitored before and after immersion at regular time-scale intervals. Such experiments are conducted under realistic in situ conditions with regards to host rock geology and groundwater flow rate and chemistry, therefore approaching repository conditions. The aquifer is located within a cretaceous granite (15-30 m) characterized by a low permeability (10-9-10-8 m/s) and overlain by tertiary fluviatile sediments. It is representative of surface to sub-surface repository conditions subjected to inflow of fresh and oxidizing water (depth: 30 m; pH: 5.20; EC: 0.047 mS/cm, T: 9.91; Eh: +594 mV). It corresponds to a mixture of deep granitic Ca-HCO3 type (Ca: 1.44 mg/l ; HCO3: 36 mg/l) and shallow Na-Cl type (Na: 5.54 mg/l; Cl : 5.73 mg/l) groundwater having low pH and low salinity. After immersion of concrete, rapid changes were observed; pH increases to 5.37, 6.54 and 10.22 after 64 hours, 72 hours and 61 days, respectively. EC increases to 0.048, 0.072 and 0.155 mS/cm respectively, together with the concentration of dissolved Ca (1.88 mg/l after 4 days of immersion). These changes are related to the release of Ca(OH)2 in cement pore water. Ca was partially coprecipitated as gypsum filling

On the basis of a specific experiment with a new casting technique for concrete structures, this paper discusses explorations of materiality as a way of generating discussion of the use of new technologies....

Full Text Available Due to the cement hydration heat, concrete deforms during curing. These deformations may lead to cracks in the concrete. Therefore, a method which estimates the strain during curing is very valuable. In this research, two methods of multivariable regression and neural network were studied with the aim of estimating strain changes inconcrete. For this purpose, laboratory cylindrical specimens were prepared under controlled situation at first and then vibration wire strain gauges equipped with thermistors were placed inside each sample to measure the deformations. Two different groups of input data were used in which variables included time, environment temperature, concrete temperature, water-to-cement ratio, aggregate content, height, and specimen diameter. CEM I, 42.5 R was utilized in set (I and strain changes have been measured in six concrete specimens. In set (II CEM II, 52.5 R was employed and strain changes were measured in three different specimens in which the diameter was held constant. The best multivariate regression equations calculated the determined coefficients at 0.804 and 0.82 for sets (I and (II, whereas the artificial neural networks predicted the strain with higher of 1 and 0.996. Results show that the neural network method can be utilized as an efficient tool for estimating concrete strain during curing.

Concrete pavements are designed for heavy loaded road structures. Their usage brings a number of specific issues. It is necessary to solve them all to ensure that concrete pavements will fulfil their function along the whole design period. One of these issues concerns dowels, which are located in transversal joints. Modelling of load, caused by heavy vehicles, with the use of the finite element method, provides valuable information about the stress condition of concrete pavement. The results of modelling can be verified by measurements or experiments in practice. Dowels and tie bars in jointed unreinforced concrete pavements and the importance of their correct placement, dimensions and material quality on pavement behaviour and lifespan were studied as a part of R&D projects of Technology Agency of the Czech Republic Nos. TA02031195 and TE01020168. The paper presents the experience from the modelling and performed experiments and makes conclusions which are important for the use in practice.

The reliability of rubble mound breakwaters depends on the hydraulic stability and the mechanical strength of the armour units. The paper deals with the important aspect of fatigue related to the strength of concrete armour units.......The reliability of rubble mound breakwaters depends on the hydraulic stability and the mechanical strength of the armour units. The paper deals with the important aspect of fatigue related to the strength of concrete armour units....

Not only sulfur-oxidizing bacteria but also an acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacterium (or bacteria) were found in the corroded concrete from several sewerage systems in Japan. The surface pH of concrete test piece exposed to an atmosphere containing hydrogen sulfide of the concentrations more than 600 ppm in the systems was usually below 2 after a month. This was attributable to ability of the sulfur-oxidizing bacteria to grow in the thin water layer which contained hydrogen sulfide and covered the piece even when the surface pH of concrete was 12-13. When the sulfuroxidizing bacteria grew in the surface of concrete and produced sulfuric acid, the pH of the inner parts of concrete was lowered where the bacteria were hardly found. Probably, sulfuric acid formed by the bacteria in the surface parts penetrated into the inner parts. The different species of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were found in different sewerage systems. The growth of the sulfur-oxidizing and acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria was completely inhibited by formates, especially by calcium formate of concentrations more than 50 mM. Calcium formate can protect concretein sewerage systems from bacterial corrosion.

The construction industry generates a considerable amount of waste. Faced with this undesirable situation, the ready-mix concrete sector, in particular, has invested energy and resources into reusing its own waste in its production process as it works towards the goal of more sustainable construction. This study examines the feasibility of incorporating two types of concrete waste, which currently end up in landfill, into the production process of ready-mix concrete: the waste generated during the initial production stage (ready-mix concrete waste), and waste created when demolition waste is treated to obtain artificial aggregate. The first phase of the study's methodology corroborates the suitability of the recycled aggregate through characterization tests. After this phase, the impact of incorporating different percentages of recycled coarse aggregate is evaluated by examining the performance of the produced concrete. The replacement rate varied between 15% and 50%. The results indicate that recycled aggregates are, indeed, suitable to be incorporated into ready-mix concrete production. The impact on the final product's performance is different for the two cases examined herein. Incorporating aggregates from generic concrete blocks led to a 20% decrease in the produced concrete's strength performance. On the other hand, using recycled aggregates made from the demolition waste led to a smaller decrease in the concrete's performance: about 8%. The results indicate that with adequate management and prior treatment, the waste from these plants can be re-incorporated into their production processes. If concrete waste is re-used, concrete production, in general, becomes more sustainable for two reasons: less waste ends up as landfill and the consumption of natural aggregates is also reduced.

Land surface emissivity (LSE) has already been recognized as a crucial parameter for the determination of land surface temperature (LST). There is an ill-posed problem for the retrieval of LST and LSE. And laboratory-based emissivity is measured in natural constant conditions, which is limited in the application in thermal remote sensing. To solve the above problems, the coupling of LST and LSE is explored to eliminate temperature effects and improve the accuracy of LES. And then, the estimation accuracy of LST from passive remote sensing images will be improved. For different land surface materials, the coupling of land surface emissivity and land surface temperature is various. This paper focuses on studying concrete surface that is one of the typical man-made materials in urban. First the experiments of measuring concrete surface emissivity and concrete surface temperature in natural conditions are arranged reasonably and the suitable data are selected under ideal atmosphere conductions. Then to improve the determination accuracy of concrete surface emissivity, the algorithm worked on the computer of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroradiometer (FTIR) has been improved by the most adapted temperature and emissivity separation algorithm. Finally the coupling of concrete surface temperature and concrete surface emissivity is analyzed and the coupling model of concrete surface temperature and concrete surface emissivity is established. The results show that there is a highest correlation coefficient between the second derivative of emissivity spectra and concrete surface temperature, and the correlation coefficient is -0.925 1. The best coupling model is the stepwise regression model, whose determination coefficient (R2) is 0.886. The determination coefficient (R2) is 0.905 and the root mean squares error (RMSE) is 0.292 1 in the validation of the model. The coupling model of concrete surface temperature and concrete surface emissivity under natural conditions

Highlights: > We determined transmission factors of parameters affecting properties of concrete. > The most important parameter is W/C ratio for attenuation of radiation of concrete. > Taguchi Method provides an appropriate methodology for parameter reduction. - Abstract: This study focuses on determination of transmission factors of main parameters affecting the properties of both normal- and heavy-weight concretein order to increase knowledge and understanding of radiation attenuation inconcrete at a later age. Water/cement (W/C) ratio, curing condition, cement quantity and air entraining agent (AEA) were selected as the main parameters. Eight energy values have been selected within the energy interval of 30.85-383.85 keV to be used in the radiation source. The Taguchi Method was used as the method of optimization. It was determined in the study that the most important parameter affecting the attenuation of the radiation of the concrete is the W/C ratio and the concretes produced with the lowest level of W/C ratio absorb more radiation. However, it was also determined that there was a combined effect between the W/C ratio and the cement dosage.

The use of accumulated waste materials in third world countries is still in its early phases. It will take courage for contractors and others in the construction industry to recycle selected types of waste materials in the concrete mixes. This paper addresses the recycling of rubber tires accumulated every year in Jordan to be used inconcrete mixes. The main objectives of this research were to provide more scientific evidence to support the use of legislation or incentive-based schemes to promote the reuse of accumulated waste tires. This research focused on using crumb tires as a replacement for a percentage of the local fine aggregates used in the concrete mixes in Jordan. Different concrete specimens were prepared and tested in terms of uniaxial compression and splitting tension. The main variable in the mixture was the volumetric percentage of crumb tires used in the mix. The test results showed that even though the compressive strength is reduced when using the crumb tires, it can meet the strength requirements of light weight concrete. In addition, test results and observations indicated that the addition of crumb rubber to the mix has a limited effect toward reducing the workability of the mixtures. The mechanical test results demonstrated that the tested specimens of the crumb rubber concrete remained relatively intact after failure compared to the conventional concrete specimens. It is also concluded that modified concrete would contribute to the disposal of the non-decaying scrap tires, since the amount being accumulated in third world countries is creating a challenge for proper disposal. Thus, obliging authorities to invest in facilitating the use of waste tires inconcrete, a fundamental material to the booming construction industry in theses countries, serves two purposes.

Full Text Available This paper reports the results of experiments evaluating the use of wood ash from bread bakery as partial replacement for ordinary Portland cement inconcrete. The chemical composition of the wood ash as well as the workability and compressive strength of the concrete were determined. Wood ash was used to replace 5% - 25% by weight of the cement inconcrete. Concrete with no wood ash serves as the control. The mix ratio used was 1:2:4 with water to binder ratio maintained at 0.5. The Compressive strength was determined at curing ages 3, 7, 28, 56, 90 and 120 days. The results showed that wood ash from bread bakery is a Class F fly ash since the sum of (SiO2 +Al2O3 +Fe2O3 is greater than 70%. The compressive strength of wood ash concrete increases with curing period and decreases with increasing wood ash content. There was a sharp decrease in compressive strength beyond 10% wood ash substitution. It was concluded that a maximum of 10% wood ash substitution is adequate for use in structural concrete

A system for the diagnostics of chernozemic soils of the Tambov Lowland based on concretions is proposed for agricultural and reclamation purposes. The relationships between the structure and composition of the carbonate concretions, the long-term water regime of the soils, and the productivity of the crops have been established. The dense concretionsin the typical chernozem testify to the depth of the seasonal wetting; the angular-rounded concretionsin the deeply gleyed chernozem-like soil, to the upper boundary of the capillary fringe; and the angular concretions with sharp edges and cavities in the gleyic chernozem-like soils, to the groundwater table. In the chernozem-like soils that were waterlogged with bicarbonate-sodium water, the black angular concretions were formed in the solonetzic horizons, while the weakly compacted light-colored ones, in the zone of the capillary fringe. Humic acids were responsible for the color of the dark neoformations, and fulvic acids predominated in the light-colored ones. The appearance of black fine nodules indicated periodic surface water stagnation. Manganese predominantly accumulates in these nodules. The structure of the Mn-Fe concretionsin the plow horizon observed at a magnification of 40-50 times has a diagnostic importance. The short-term (2-3 weeks) water stagnation leads to the formation of fine-stratified concretions, and the long-term (up to 1.5 months) stagnation promotes the formation of uniform porous ones. The solonetzic process induced by the bicarbonate-sodium water results in the appearance of mottled concretions.

This paper describes a method for the design and fabrication of complex funicular structures from discrete precast concrete elements. The research proposes that through the integration of digital form finding techniques, computational file-to-fabrication workflows and innovative sustainable...... concrete casting techniques, complex funicular structures can be constructed using prefabricated elements in a practical, affordable and materially efficient manner. A recent case study is examined, in which the methodology has been used to construct a pavilion. Custom written dynamic relaxation software...... in collaboration between the Aarhus School of Architecture and the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). Basic research in casting techniques defined the framework for the design process, and a custom written dynamic relaxation software application became the primary form-generating tool in the design process...

Cathodic protection (CP) of reinforcing steel inconcrete structures has been used successfully for over 20 years. CP is able to stop corrosion in a reliable and economical way where chloride contamination has caused reinforcement corrosion and subsequent concrete damage. To new structures where cor

Cathodic protection (CP) of reinforcing steel inconcrete structures has been used successfully for over 20 years. CP is able to stop corrosion in a reliable and economical way where chloride contamination has caused reinforcement corrosion and subsequent concrete damage. To new structures where

Full Text Available The wastage of marble industry are responsible for many environmental problems because 70% wastes and only 30% recovery of main product contribute to the maximum wastes which are indestructible. Dumping sites give dirty look. Contaminate top fertile soil cover, along with rivers/water bodies affecting irrigation and drinking water resources and air as well as loss to flora and fauna. The most efficient Solution of marble slurry pollution is utilization in Bulk. The only industry which can consume marble slurry at so large level is only the construction industry. Different properties of marble slurry determined in the laboratory. Sp. gravity 2.61, Fineness modulus was found to be 0.91 and Utilization of marble slurry in Cement Concrete replacing Sand is 30% which shows equal strength as of Control i,e. 1:2:4 Cement Concrete 0% Marble slurry. Marble slurry can be easily utilized in construction industry in preparing Cement Concrete.

An investigation was carried out to establish the physical, mechanical and chemical characteristics of a non-standard (unprocessed) pulverised fuel ash (PFA) and waste tyres from a former landfill site at the Power Station Hill near Church Village, South Wales, United Kingdom. Investigations are on-going to establish the suitability of the fly ash and/or tyres in road construction (embankment and pavement) and also inconcrete to be used in the construction of the proposed highway. This paper reports on concrete-based construction where concrete blends (using various levels of PFA as partial replacement for Portland cement (PC), and shredded waste tyres (chips 15-20 mm) as aggregate replacement) were subjected to unconfined compressive strength tests to establish performance, hence, optimising mix designs. Strength development up to 180 days for the concrete made with PC-PFA blends as binders (PC-PFA concrete), with and without aggregate replacement with tyre chips, is reported. The binary PC-PFA concrete does not have good early strength but tends to improve at longer curing periods. The low early strength observed means that PC-PFA concrete cannot be used for structures, hence, only as low to medium strength applications such as blinding, low-strength foundations, crash barriers, noise reduction barriers, cycle paths, footpaths and material for pipe bedding.

Full Text Available In this paper, we consider the mechanical effect of the sulfate attack on concrete. The durability analysis of concrete structures in contact to external sulfate solutions requires the definition of a proper diffusion-reaction model, for the computation of the varying sulfate concentration and of the consequent ettringite formation, coupled to a mechanical model for the prediction of swelling and material degradation. In this work, we make use of a two-ions formulation of the reactive-diffusion problem and we propose a bi-phase chemo-elastic damage model aimed to simulate the mechanical response of concrete and apt to be used in structural analyses.

An investigation on damage location due to the corrosion in reinforced concrete structures is conducted. The frequency change square ratio is used as a parameter for the damage. It is theoretically verified that the parameter is a function of the damage location. Experimental results of the corrosion in reinforced concrete structures show that the predicted damage location is in agreement with the real damage location. The modal parameters are used to detect the damages in structural concrete elements, and so they are useful for structural appraisal.

Full Text Available Red mud, which is a solid waste produced in the alumina production process, is classified as dangerous due to its high pH. In this work, the concentration of chlorides was monitored by measuring the conductivity of the anolyte, which initially was distilled water. The steady and nonsteady-state chloride diffusion coefficients were estimated from the "time lag"� and "equivalent time" between diffusion and migration experiments. The capillary water absorption, apparent porosity and pore size distribution of concretes were also analyzed. The addition of red mud apparently ensured lower chloride diffusion in the tested mixtures due to its superfine particle-size distribution and its "filler"� effect. Red mud lengthened the service life of the concrete to 35 years (double that of the reference concrete. This finding is very positive since it indicates a delay in the onset of the rebar corrosion process caused by the migration of chloride ions.

The successful installation of inflatable dam seals has been accomplished at several large concrete dams in the United States. This accomplishment was recently realized for the first time in Canada. The minimization of water intrusion caused by failed water stops in monolithic dams by a small diameter inflatable seal is one of the many uses for the device. Many problems encountered at large concrete dams are related to stress control of alkali-aggregate or alkali silica reaction (AAR, ASR), and the inflatable dam seal fits in as part of this control system. Many of the problems with concrete dams are due to AAR which causes concrete to expand, resulting in cracking of concrete and misalignment of equipment as two of the most important issues. A transverse vertical saw cut through the upper section of the concrete structure was one of the methods used to alleviate the stresses brought about by AAR. This method has been used on a number of occasions in both Canada and the United States. Once the saw cut is complete, from the upstream face to the downstream face, controlling the water flow in the kerf (13-19 millimeter) presents a major challenge. Successfully sealing failed water stops and saw cuts was accomplished by installing inflatable dam seals with vertical heights in excess of 38 meters. A specific seal must be designed in each case. Several elements of the composite construction seal meet the engineering requirements set forth by Dam Safety Officials and Engineers and Owners. Some case histories were presented, namely the Harry S. Truman Dam in Missouri, the Tennessee Valley Authority at several sites, the Hiwassee Dam in North Carolina, the Fontana Dam in Tennessee, and the Mactaquac Generating Station in New Brunswick. 10 refs., 11 figs.

Full Text Available The rate of water evaporation in the exposed surfaces plays an important part in the development of cracks in fresh concretes and mortars before hardening is completed. This rate of evaporation depends on the drying power of the wind sweeping such surfaces as a function of the relative humidity, temperature and speed of the air.
After many studies and research work on the subject of plastic cracking, the following axiom has been established: "Plastic shrinkage and cracking of concrete surfaces take place when water evaporates from the surface quicker than it can be replaced through exudation".
Once the value of weather parameters are known, the extent of the risk of crack development can be known and preventive steps taken to overcome such risk. Obviously, such steps are all oriented to reducing or stopping evaporation and go from covering surfaces with wet sackcloth or plastic foil, through sprinkling water mists or lowering the concrete temperature, to using film-forming curing products.
Another additional measure can be the addition of polypropelene fibers to the concrete while in the mixer, at the rate of 0.9 kg fiber to 1 m3 of concrete.

It is known that some high-strength/high-performance concretes (HSC/HPC) are prone to cracking at an early age unless special precautions are taken. The paper deals with the methods of curing as one of the main strategies to ensure good performance of concrete. Curing by both external (conventional......) and internal methods is reviewed and analyzed, among other methods of mitigating shrinkage and cracking of concrete. The focus is on the mitigation of autogenous shrinkage of low water to binder ratio (w/b) concrete by means of internal curing. The concepts of internal curing are based on using lightweight...... aggregate, superabsorbent polymers or water-soluble chemicals, which reduce water evaporation (so called "internal sealing"). These concepts have been intensively researched in the 90s, but still are not widespread among contractors and concrete suppliers. The differences between conventional methods...

Full Text Available In this paper the authors present information about the Self-Compacting Concrete and experimental results regarding the use of them into precast element industry. This type of concrete does not require vibration for placing and compaction; it is able to flow under its own weight, completely filling formwork and achieving full compaction, even in the presence of congested reinforcement. The experimental programme has take into account two prestressed beams which were prefabricated and tested on a special stands. The beams of Self-Compacting Concrete with the length of 24 m were prepared at „Beton-Star” Kft, Kecsekenet, Hungary, and used at the CASCO, Satu-Mare.

The long-term performance of concrete structures is directly tied to two factors: concrete durability and strength. When assessing the durability of concrete structures, the study of the water penetration is paramount, because almost all reactions like corrosion, alkali-silica, sulfate, etc., which produce their deterioration, require the presence of water. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has shown to be very sensitive to water variations. On this basis, the objective of this experimental study is, firstly, to analyze the correlation between the water penetration depth inconcrete samples and the GPR wave parameters. To do this, the samples were immersed into water for different time intervals and the wave parameters were obtained from signals registered when the antenna was placed on the immersed surface of the samples. Secondly, a procedure has been developed to be able to determine, from those signals, the reliability in the detection and location of waterfront depths. The results have revealed that GPR may have an enormous potential in this field, because excellent agreements were found between the correlated variables. In addition, when comparing the waterfront depths calculated from GPR measurements and those visually registered after breaking the samples, we observed that they totally agreed when the waterfront was more than 4 cm depth.

Full Text Available Homogenous concrete mixture without aggregate pockets and fibre clusters is a presumption for appropriate properties of concrete element or structure. There are technological measures how to achieve homogenously looking mixture from aggregate point of view, but fibres are still predisposed for clusters forming. The paper evaluates originally designed and protected within European patent treatment of fibre, based on capsules containing individual rolled fibre which can be admixed into a concrete mixture and set up homogenously in its whole volume within the mixing process.

Canal water use efficiency calculation by using ponding test shall be assisted with canal discharge. Ponding test is one of the tests to observe seepage quantity. Furthermore, to calculate canal water use efficiency, it is efficient to test low seepage canals such as concrete lined canal. The observation object in ponding test is a length of canal water statically. The test results could reflect seepage quantity influence factors, such as canal material, section form and depth of canal water. Canal water use efficiency calculation with inflow-outflow test is based on flow difference between upstream section and downstream section, which could reflect seepage process dynamically. According to canal discharge design formulas, four factors were concluded in canal discharge calculation: discharge section area, Chezy coefficient, hydraulic radius (or wetted width and longitudinal slope. Ponding test has two measurements according to the range of water level, one is constant head and the other is dropping head. It was assumed that as canal cross-section is designed, its discharge section area andR(X) could be calculated by depth of canal water, and different depth of canal water will lead to different discharge section area,R(X) and canal water use efficiency undoubtedly. If the canal discharge varies during the period of irrigation, the dropping head ponding test was fit for analyzing the relations betweenh and canal water use efficiency. The water balance theory was used to describe the process of canal water use efficiency calculation, and the relative parameters regulation was analyzed when depth of canal water was increased. Based on those, we set the canal discharge of unit time as the water volume, which could reflect canal discharge characteristic. It was assumed thatW flowed along canal byv, if the length of canal was 1 km, canal water use efficiency calculation was described as six basic steps: 1) Applying ponding test to representative canal, and establishing

The concept of variability is increasingly considered in service life predictions. This paper reports experimental data on the spatial distribution of chloride in uncracked concrete subjected to homogeneous exposure. Chloride concentrations were measured with potentiometric sensors embedded in concr

Concrete like materials were already applied during the Roman Empire. After the decline of the Roman Empire, a wide scale application of concrete only reappeared in the 19th century. Here lies also the origin of modern (reinforced) concrete. Since then, both concrete application and composition have

This is the state-of-the-art report prepared by the RILEM TC “Application of Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP) inconcrete construction”. It gives a comprehensive overview of the properties of SAP, specific water absorption and desorption behaviour of SAP in fresh and hardening concrete, effects of the SAP addition on rheological properties of fresh concrete, changes of cement paste microstructure and mechanical properties of concrete. Furthermore, the key advantages of using SAP are described in detail: the ability of this material to act as an internal curing agent to mitigate autogenous shrinkage of high-performance concrete, the possibility to use SAP as an alternative to air-entrainment agents in order to increase the frost resistance of concrete, and finally, the benefit of steering the rheology of fresh cement-based materials. The final chapter describes the first existing and numerous prospective applications for this new concrete additive.

Interactions between cementitious materials and claystone are driven by chemical gradients in pore water and might lead to mineralogical modifications in both materials. In the context of a radioactive waste repository, this alteration might influence safety-relevant clay properties like swelling pressure, permeability, or specific retention. In this study, interfaces of Opalinus Clay, a potential host-rock in Switzerland, and three concrete formulations emplaced in the Cement-Clay Interaction (CI) Experiment at the Mont Terri Underground Laboratory (St. Ursanne, Switzerland) were analysed after 2.2 years of interaction. Sampling techniques with interface stabilisation followed by inclined intersection drilling were developed. Element distribution maps of the concrete-clay interfaces show complex zonations like sulphur enrichment, zones depleted in Ca but enriched in Mg, strong Mg enrichment adjacent to the interface, or carbonation. Consistently, the carbonated zone shows a reduced porosity. Properties of the complex zonation strongly depend on cement properties like water content and pH (ordinary Portland cement vs. low-pH cement). An increased Ca or Mg content in the first 100 μm next to the interface is observed in Opalinus Clay. The cation occupancy of clay exchanger phases next to the ordinary Portland cement interface is depleted in Mg, but enriched in Na, whereas porosity shows no changes at all. The current data suggests migration of CO2/HCO3-, SO42-, and Mg species from clay into cement. pH decrease in the cement next to the interface leads to instability of ettringite, and the sulphate liberated diffuses towards higher pH regions (away from the interface), where additional ettringite can form.

Full Text Available Concrete is a relatively cheap material and easy to be cast into variously shaped structures. Its good shielding properties against neutrons and gamma-rays, due to its intrinsic water content and relatively high-density, respectively, make it the most widely used material for radiation shielding also. Concrete is so chosen as biological barrier in nuclear reactors and other nuclear facilities where neutron sources are hosted. Theoretical formulas are available in nuclear engineering manuals for the optimum thickness of shielding for radioprotection purposes; however they are restricted to one-dimensional problems; besides the basic empirical constants do not consider radiation damage effects, while its long-term performance is crucial for the safe operation of such facilities. To understand the behaviour of concrete properties, it is necessary to examine concrete strength and stiffness, water behavior, volume change of cement paste, and aggregate under irradiated conditions. Radiation damage process is not well understood yet and there is not a unified approach to the practical and predictive assessment of irradiated concrete, which combines both physics and structural mechanics issues. This paper provides a collection of the most distinguished contributions on this topic in the past 50 years. At present a remarkable renewed interest in the subject is shown.

Full Text Available A computational model is developed for predicting nonuniform internal relative humidity distribution inconcrete. Internal relative humidity distribution is known to have a direct effect on the nonuniform drying shrinkage strains. These nonuniform drying shrinkage strains result in the buildup of internal stresses, which may lead to cracking of concrete. This may be particularly true at early ages of concrete since the concrete is relatively weak while the difference in internal relative humidity is probably high. The results obtained from this model can be used by structural and construction engineers to predict critical drying shrinkage stresses induced due to differential internal humidity distribution. The model uses finite elment-finite difference numerical methods. The finite element is used to space discretization while the finite difference is used to obtain transient solutions of the model. The numerical formulations are then programmed in Matlab. The numerical results were compared with experimental results found in the literature and demonstrated very good agreement.

Implementing sustainable materials into the construction industry is fast becoming a trend nowadays. Palm Kernel Shell is a by-product of Malaysia’s palm oil industry, generating waste as much as 4 million tons per annum. As a means of producing a sustainable, environmental-friendly, and affordable alternative in the lightweight concrete industry, the exploration of the potential of Palm Kernel Shell to be used as an aggregate replacement was conducted which may give a positive impact to the Malaysian construction industry as well as worldwide concrete usage. This research investigates the feasibility of PKS as an aggregate replacement in lightweight concretein terms of compressive strength, slump test, water absorption, and density. Results indicate that by using PKS for aggregate replacement, it increases the water absorption but decreases the concrete workability and strength. Results however, fall into the range acceptable for lightweight aggregates, hence it can be concluded that there is potential to use PKS as aggregate replacement for lightweight concrete.

Analytical determination of displacements and stresses in reinforced concrete material was difficult task and engineers had to rely on empirical formulas because concrete consists of heterogeneous material and creep and shrinkage influenced deformations in it. Due to these complexities engineers in past had been facing difficulties in coping such problems, but with the advancement of digital computerization and modern numerical methods for analysis such as finite element metho...

Full Text Available In the today’s era with the growing expenses, abundant waste material is generated through processing units of stone industry, there is a need to increase awareness by utilizing economical substitutes to solve the problem of these waste. The utilization of crusher dust as fine aggregate for concrete has achieved more attention in recent year due to scary of natural river sand. Today continues efforts are made towards finding the substitute of natural resources. Research is therefore needed to least the environmental damages and to obtain sustainable construction. This review deals with how crusher dust would be utilized to deliver new items as additive for sustainable concrete. This study professed latest research on using crusher dust as replacement of sand inconcrete. Effect on fresh and hardened properties of concrete with crusher dust is discussed in this paper.

Most concrete structures and buildings are under temperature and moisture variations simultaneously. Thus, the moisture transport inconcrete is driven by the moisture gradient as well as the temperature gradient. This paper presents an experimental approach for determining the effect of different temperature gradients on moisture distribution profiles inconcrete. The effect of elevated temperatures under isothermal conditions on the moisture transport was also evaluated, and found not to be significant. The non-isothermal tests show that the temperature gradient accelerates the moisture transport inconcrete. The part of increased moisture transfer due to the temperature gradient can be quantified by a coupling parameter DHT, which can be determined by the present test data. The test results indicated that DHT is not a constant but increases linearly with the temperature variation. A material model was developed for DHT based on the experimental results obtained in this study.

Spent radioactive sources are considered a type of radioactive waste which must be stored properly. These sources are usually conditioned inconcrete that functions as shield and physical barrier to prevent the potential migration of radionuclides, and must have suitable properties: mechanical, thermal or irradiation resistance. Concretes used in the conditioning of spent radioactive source in Mexico were tested, preparing concrete test specimens with Portland cement CPC 30RS EXTRA CEMEX and aggregates, and subjected to compression strength, γ-ray-irradiation and thermal resistance assays and subsequently analyzed by Mössbauer and Raman Spectroscopies as well as by Scanning Electron Microscopy, in order to correlate the radiation and temperature effects on the compressive strengths, the oxidation states of iron and the structural features of the concrete. Iron was found in the concretein Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ in the tetrahedral (T) and two octahedral positions (O1, O2). Radiolysis of water causes the dehydratation (200-600 kGy) and rehydratation (1000-10000 kGy) of calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) and ferric hydrate phases inconcretes and structural distortion around the iron sites inconcretes. The compressive strength of concretes are not significantly affected by γ-radiation or heat.

Spent radioactive sources are considered a type of radioactive waste which must be stored properly. These sources are usually conditioned inconcrete that functions as shield and physical barrier to prevent the potential migration of radionuclides, and must have suitable properties: mechanical, thermal or irradiation resistance. Concretes used in the conditioning of spent radioactive source in Mexico were tested, preparing concrete test specimens with Portland cement CPC 30RS EXTRA CEMEX and aggregates, and subjected to compression strength, γ-ray-irradiation and thermal resistance assays and subsequently analyzed by Mössbauer and Raman Spectroscopies as well as by Scanning Electron Microscopy, in order to correlate the radiation and temperature effects on the compressive strengths, the oxidation states of iron and the structural features of the concrete. Iron was found in the concretein Fe {sup 2+} and Fe {sup 3+} in the tetrahedral (T) and two octahedral positions (O1, O2). Radiolysis of water causes the dehydratation (200-600 kGy) and rehydratation (1000-10000 kGy) of calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) and ferric hydrate phases inconcretes and structural distortion around the iron sites inconcretes. The compressive strength of concretes are not significantly affected by γ-radiation or heat.

The compatibility between a fiber optical sensor and concrete structure in the optic fiber smart concrete is studied.The methods of improving the compatibility are proposed based on theory analysing, and a novel fiber optical sensor was developed. The experimental results show that the novel structure of fiber optical sensor and the scheme of the protecting layer of epoxy resin bed composite not only enable the sensor to be applied in strict environment, but also can monitor the beginning propagation and breaking of concrete cracks. The results also indicate that the sensor will maintain its properties in the case of large deformation and that it has the high compatibility with concrete structure and can meet special needs of the intelligent materials and structure.

Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) bars for concrete reinforcement have been commercially available for several years. The main advantage of such bar relative to the conventional steel reinforcing bars is their resistance to corrosion. The reinforced plastic bars are slightly different from the conventional steel bars both geometrically and mechanically. Thus, research is needed to understand their behavior and to be able to use them inconcrete reinforcement with adequate reliability. Bond strength of reinforced plastic bars inconcrete is one of the mechanical and behavioral differences with the steel bars. This paper presents the results of pullout and beam tests conducted to determine the bond stress-slip behavior of FRP bars inconcrete.

Thermal insulation concrete building plays an important role in environment sustainability especially energy saving buildings. Buildings are one of the largest consumers of energy worldwide. Therefore, significant energy saving can be realized by buildings with proper materials, design and operation. Thermal insulation systems are nowadays mostly applied for such building envelopes where the materials of load bearing structure such as concrete do not have a substantial thermal insulation capability. Thermal insulation inconcrete are materials or combinations of materials that are used to provide resistance to heat flow, should have low conductivity for building application in order to represence of a temperature gradient, has an important effect on the heat exchange between the building interior and the ambiance. The aim of this paper is to review the thermal properties include thermal conductivity and specific heat on various types of concrete.

Prediction of the structural integrity of high temperature nuclear reactors under hostile thermal environments is of considerable concern in safety assessments of reactors. A mathematical model, simulating the coupled heat and mass transfer inconcrete structures exposed to extremely high temperatures, has been developed and numerically solved. With the prediction of the pore pressure, temperature, and moisture redistribution, the effect of various rates of thermal loads on the concrete response is investigated. The rate of moisture clog penetration into the concrete cylinder and hence the locations of the maximum pore pressure peaks developed under different rates of the severe thermal loads are determined. Thus, the possibilities of concrete spallings occurring under these conditions are studied and predicted. (author).

Full Text Available The main objective of this paper is to use the industrial waste such as bottom ash and Weld Slag (WS as the partial replacement for fine aggregates inconcrete. This paper presents the chemical analysis and strength properties of industrial solid waste such as bottom ash, weld slag 1 (WS 1 and weld slag 2 (WS 2. Their chemical compositions were identified by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD analysis. The qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis of the bottom ash and weld slag was recognized by energy dispersive X-ray analysis and their morphology were studied by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM. The compressive strength of concrete with 10% replacement of fine aggregate to the industrial waste shows higher strength than the normal concrete and hence this industrial waste can be used as fine aggregate inconcrete.

Concrete structures such as social buildings and bridges are important economic goods. Thus, maintenance and preservation of these structures are of major interest. Buildings of reinforced concrete are exposed to a variety of damaging influences. In particular, moisture has an important influence on the lifetime of concrete structures. This is caused by the involvement of free waterin corrosion of the steel, and the fact that water acts as transport medium for damaging ions such as chloride, sulfate, carbonate and ammonium. Thus, we designed and developed an integrated fiberoptical sensor system, which allows in-situ non- destructive long-term monitoring of concrete structures. As moisture indicator we use a pyridinium-N-phenolat betainital dye, which shows a strong solvatochromic behavior in the ultraviolet-visible spectral range (UV-VIS). The dye is embedded in a polymer matrix, whose moderate polarity is enhanced by free water diffusing into the sensor. This leads to a continuous hypsochromic shift of the absorption spectrum according to the water concetration. Another appropriate dye is 4-amino-N-methylphthalimid, which shows a similar behavior in its fluorescent spectra, and presently we are developing its derivatives and suitable polymer matrices. The determination of the pH-value of concrete is of major importance for the assessment of acidic attacks which may lead to serious damage in reinforced concrete, as the embedded steel structures exhibit long-term stability (i.e. resistance to corrosion) only at pH-values of 9 or higher. Therefore we have developed a fiberoptical sensor system for the measurement of pH-values inconcrete consisting of pH- indicator dyes immobilized in a highly immobilized in a highly hydrophilic polymer matrix. Any change in pH-value of the wet concrete material is indicated by a color change of the dye/polymer system. The sensor system displays long term stability even in aggressive media of pH12 - 13.

The ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test has been a widely used non-destructive testing method for concrete structures. However, the conventional UPV test has limitations in consistency of results and applicability in hard-to-access regions of structures. The authors explore the feasibility of embedded piezoelectric (PZT) sensors for ultrasonic measurements inconcrete structures. Two PZT sensors were embedded in a reinforced concrete specimen. One sensor worked as an actuator driven by an ultrasonic pulse-receiver, and another sensor worked as a receiver. A series of ultrasonic tests were conducted to investigate the performance of the embedded sensors in crack-free concrete and concrete specimens having a surface-breaking crack under various external loadings. Signals measured by the embedded sensors show a broad bandwidth with a centre frequency around 80 kHz, and very good coherence in the frequency range from 30 to 180 kHz. Furthermore, experimental variability in ultrasonic pulse velocity and attenuation is substantially reduced compared to previously reported values from conventional UPV equipment. Findings from this study demonstrate that the embedded sensors have great potential as a low-cost solution for ultrasonic transducers for health monitoring of concretein structures.

The book analyzes a quasi-static fracture process inconcrete and reinforced concrete by means of constitutive models formulated within continuum mechanics. A continuous and discontinuous modelling approach was used. Using a continuous approach, numerical analyses were performed using a finite element method and three different enhanced continuum models: isotropic elasto-plastic, isotropic damage and anisotropic smeared crack one. The models were equipped with a characteristic length of micro-structure by means of a non-local and a second-gradient theory. So they could properly describe the formation of localized zones with a certain thickness and spacing and a related deterministic size effect. Using a discontinuous FE approach, numerical results of cracks using a cohesive crack model and XFEM were presented which were also properly regularized. Finite element analyses were performed with concrete elements under monotonic uniaxial compression, uniaxial tension, bending and shear-extension. Concrete beams un...

According to National Statistics Approximately 1.35 billion gallons of used oil are generated yearly. With the increasing of the concrete usage, a more cost effective and economic new type of admixtures may give positive impacts on the Malaysian construction building as well as worldwide concrete usage. To objective of this is study is to investigate the effect of used cooking oil in terms of slump test, compressive strength test and rebound hammer. By adding the used cooking oil to the concrete, it increases the slump value from 4% to 72%. And the compressive strength have an increment from 1% to 16.8%. The used cooking oil obtains the optimum contribution to the concrete mix proportion of containing used cooking oil of 1.50% from the cement content. The result of used cooking oil from experimental program of slump value and compressive strength proved that used cooking oil have positive effects on replacement of commercially available superplasticizer.

To understand the dielectric properties of PCC and better correlate them with type and severity of PCC internal defects, a study was conducted to evaluate PCC complex permittivity and magnetic permeability over a wideband of frequencies using both time domain and frequency domain techniques. Three measuring devices were designed and fabricated: a parallel plate capacitor, a coaxial transmission line, and transverse electromagnetic (TEM) horn antennae. The TEM horn antenna covers the microwave frequencies. The measurement technique involves a time domain setup that was verified by a frequency domain measurement. Portland cement concrete slabs, 60 by 75 by 14 cm, were cast; defects include delamination, delamination filled with water, segregation, and chloride contamination. In this paper, measurements using the TEM horn antennae and the feasibility of detecting flaws at microwave frequency are presented.

of water through the expansion joint and subsequent corrosion of girders and girder bearings. Investigations on joint-less superstructures using conventional steel reinforcement in so-called concrete link slabs indicate improved performance and economic feasibility. However, this concept requires...

Fractal geometry is used to characterize the roughness of cracked concrete surfaces through a specially built profilometer, and the fractal dimension is subsequently correlated to the fracture toughness and direction of crack propagation. Preliminary results indicate that the fracture surface is indeed fractal over two orders of magnitudes with a dimension of approximately 1.20. ?? 1990.

The properties of industrial waste slurry and waste water of 6 ready - mixed concrete stations from 5 provinces were ana-lyzed.2 kinds of industrial waste slurry were chosen to produce mortar and concrete.The results showed that the solid content of industri-al waste slurry are different which varies between 0.3% to 3.0%.The total ion content of some waste water has exceeded the require-ments of national standard“Standard of water for concrete”.There is little influence on the compressive strength of mortar and concrete while waste slurry and waste water were used.The dosage of waste slurry and waste water while using should be ascertained by experi-ment.%检测并分析了5个地区6家混凝土搅拌站的废水废浆性能，选择其中2家废水废浆进行砂浆和混凝土试验。试验结果表明：各家的废水废浆含固量差异较大，部分废水废浆的离子总量超过 JGJ 63—2006《混凝土用水标准》要求；掺加废水废浆后的砂浆和混凝土抗压强度变化不大；废水废浆掺量应通过试验确定。

Concrete is the most widely used construction material of the world and maintaining concrete structures from premature deterioration is proving to be a great challenge. Early age formation of micro-cracking inconcrete structure severely affects the serviceability leading to high cost of maintenance. Apart from conventional methods of repairing cracks with sealants or treating the concrete with adhesive chemicals to prevent the cracks from widening, a microbial crack-healing approach has shown promising results. The unique feature of the microbial system is that it enables self-healing of concrete. The effectiveness of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICCP) in improving durability of cementitious building materials, restoration of stone monuments and soil bioclogging is discussed. Main emphasis has been laid on the potential of bacteria-based crack repair inconcrete structure and the applications of different bacterial treatments to self-healing cracks. Furthermore, recommendations to employ the MICCP technology at commercial scale and reduction in the cost of application are provided in this review.

Sodium-concrete interaction is a key safety-related issue in safety analysis of liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactors (LMFBRs). The chemical kinetics model is a key component of the sodium-concrete interaction model. Conservation equations integrated in sodium-concrete interaction model cannot be solved without a set of relationships that couple the equations together, and this may be done by the chemical kinetics model. Simultaneously,simulation of chemical kinetics is difficult due to complexity of the mechanism of chemical reactions between sodium and concrete. This paper describes the chemical kinetics simulation under some hypotheses. The chemical kinetics model was integrated with the conservation equations to form a computer code. Penetration depth, penetration rate,hydrogen flux, reaction heat, etc. can be provided by this code. Theoretical models and computational procedure were recounted in detail. Good agreements of an overall transient behavior were obtained in a series of sodium-concrete interaction experiment analysis. Comparison between analytical and experimental results showed that the chemical kinetics model presented in this paper was creditable and reasonable for simulating the sodium-concrete interactions.

Full Text Available One of the main directions in construction material science is the development of next generation concrete that is ultra-dense, high-strength, ultra-porous, high heat efficient, extra corrosion-resistant. Selection of such direction is caused by extreme operational impacts on the concrete, namely: continuously increasing load on the concrete and various dynamics of such loads; the necessity in operation of concrete products in a wide temperature range and their exposure to various chemical and physical effects.The next generation concrete represents high-tech concrete mixtures with additives that takes on and retain the required properties when hardening and being used under any operational conditions. A differential characteristic of the next generation concrete is its complexity that presumes usage of various mineral dispersed components, two- and three fractional fine and coarse aggregates, complex chemical additives, combinations of polymer and iron reinforcement.Design strength and performance properties level of the next generation concrete is achieved by high-quality selection of the composition, proper selection of manufacturing techniques, concrete curing, bringing the quality of concrete items to the required level of technical condition during the operational phase. However, directed formation of its structure is necessary in order to obtain high-tech concrete.Along with the traditional methods for regulation of the next generation concrete structure, modification of concrete while using silica nanoparticles is also considered as a perspective one because the concrete patterning occurs due to introduction of a binder in a mineral matrix. Due to this it is possible to obtain nano-modified materials with completely new properties.The main problem with the creation of nano-modified concrete is a uniform distribution of nano-materials in the volume of the cement matrix which is particularly important in the cases of adding a modifier in

High tensile stresses occurred in high concrete dams and in their foundation lead to the growing importance of their safety with the increase of concrete dam height.Without any exiting specification or successful experiences of concrete dams up to 300 m at home and abroad for reference,experts feel obliged to figure out how to perform safety analysis on high concrete dam.This paper involves the main contents and mechanical features of the safety analysis on high concrete dam and shows the current state and progress of the analysis methods.For the insufficiency and problems existing in normative methods,study on modern numerical method such as finite element method must be strengthened to find out the stress control criterion which is in accordance with the methods.Two aspects of the safety analysis of high dam--local damage from material level and integral destruction from structure level--should be considered.For the local damage,we should consider the non-homogeneity of material and strengthen the research of meso-damage mechanics.While for integral destruction of the system of high dam and its foundation,a study on non-strength theory should receive enough concerns.Further,attention should be paid to the research on the failure modes and criterions of high concrete dam failure analysis and safety evaluation,and the effect of uncertainty and classification of safety should be considered too.

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to characterize concrete micro-environment temperature response to the natural climate of the tropical rainforest. The peculiar warmth, high humidity, and low pressure nature of the tropical rainforest necessitated the present study. Temperature probes were inserted into concrete specimens subjected to the sheltered and unsheltered environment to measure the micro-environment temperature of the concrete, and study the hysteresis characteristics in relation to the climate temperature. Some mathematical relationships for forecasting the internal temperature of concretein the tropical rainforest environment were proposed and tested. The proposed relationships were found reliable. It was observed that the micro-environment temperature was lower at the crest, and higher at the trough than the climate environment temperature with a temperature difference of 1-3 oC. Also, temperature response inconcrete for the unsheltered micro-environment was 1.85 times faster than the response in the sheltered micro-environment. The findings of the study may be used to assist the durability assessment of concrete.

Full Text Available This paper reports the basis of one-dimensional Finite Difference method to obtain thermal properties of foamed concretein order to solve transient heat conduction problems in multi-layer panels. In addition, this paper also incorporates the implementation of the method and the validation of thermal properties model of foamed concrete. A one-dimensional finite difference heat conduction programme has been developed to envisage the temperature development through the thickness of the foamed concrete slab, based on an initial estimate of the thermal conductivity-temperature relationship as a function of porosity and radiation within the voids. The accuracy of the model was evaluated by comparing predicted and experimental temperature profiles obtained from small scale heat transfer test on foamed concrete slabs, so that the temperature history of the specimen calculated by the programme closely matches those recorded during the experiment. Using the thermal properties of foamed concrete, the validated heat transfer program predicts foamed concrete temperatures in close agreement with experimental results obtained from a number of high temperature tests. The proposed numerical and thermal properties are simple yet efficient and can be utilised to aid manufacturers to develop their products without having to conduct numerous large-scale fire tests.

Full Text Available Seepage is the most parameter inwater management safety and in stable agricultural. This seepage is passed through the cracks that are present to some degree in hydraulic structures. They may exist as basic defects in the constituent materials or may be induced in construction or during service life. To avoid such failure inconcrete dams, safety would be an important factor. Over-design carries heavy penalty in terms of excess weight. So the fracture mechanics theory is a principal necessity of evaluating the stability of such crack propagation. For the process of crack propagation analysis inconcrete structures, there are two general models: discrete crack and smeared crack. This study surveys the crack propagation inconcrete gravity dams based on discrete crack methods. Moreover, we use a program provided specifically for this purpose.

In this book, a critical analysis is made on service life models related to reinforcement corrosion. The contributors are on the frontier of knowledge in the field of durability of reinforced concrete. Topics covered in the book include: causes and mechanisms of deterioration, transport mechanisms inconcrete, numerical modeling of concrete behavior, durability modeling and prediction, reliability approach to structural design for durability, structural behavior following degradation of concrete structures, deterioration and repair of concrete structures, and corrosion measurement techniques.

Full Text Available A smart aggregate-based approach is proposed for the concrete compactness detection of concrete filled steel tube (CFST columns. The piezoceramic-based smart aggregates (SAs were embedded in the predetermined locations prior to the casting of concrete columns to establish a wave-based smart sensing system for the concrete compactness detection purpose. To evaluate the efficiency of the developed approach, six specimens of the CFST columns with the rectangular cross-section were produced by placing some artificial defects during casting of concrete for simulating various uncompacted voids such as cavities, cracks, and debond. During the test, the time reversal technology was applied to rebuild the received signals and launch the reversed signals again by SAs, to overcome the issue of the lack of the prototype. Based on the proposed nonprototype, two indices of time reversibility (TR and symmetry (SYM were applied to relatively evaluate the level of concrete compactness in the range of the two SAs. The experimental results show that the developed method can effectively detect the compactness of concretein CFST columns.

Full Text Available This paper discusses the seismic analysis of concrete dams with consideration of material nonlinearity. Based on a consistent rate-dependent model and two thermodynamics-based models, two thermodynamics-based rate-dependent constitutive models were developed with consideration of the influence of the strain rate. They can describe the dynamic behavior of concrete and be applied to nonlinear seismic analysis of concrete dams taking into account the rate sensitivity of concrete. With the two models, a nonlinear analysis of the seismic response of the Koyna Gravity Dam and the Dagangshan Arch Dam was conducted. The results were compared with those of a linear elastic model and two rate-independent thermodynamics-based constitutive models, and the influences of constitutive models and strain rate on the seismic response of concrete dams were discussed. It can be concluded from the analysis that, during seismic response, the tensile stress is the control stress in the design and seismic safety evaluation of concrete dams. In different models, the plastic strain and plastic strain rate of concrete dams show a similar distribution. When the influence of the strain rate is considered, the maximum plastic strain and plastic strain rate decrease.

Full Text Available In a severe nuclear power plant accident, the molten core can be released into the reactor pit and interact with sacrificial concrete. In this paper, a simulation study is presented that aims to address the influence of sacrificial concrete properties on molten core-concrete interaction (MCCI. In particular, based on the MELCOR Code, the ferrosiliceous concrete used in European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR is taken into account with respect to the different ablation enthalpy and Fe2O3 and H2O contents. Results indicate that the concrete ablation rate as well as the hydrogen generation rate depends much on the concrete ablation enthalpy and Fe2O3 and H2O contents. In practice, the ablation enthalpy of sacrificial concrete is the higher the better, while the Fe2O3 and H2O content of sacrificial concrete is the lower the better.

The global trend towards carbon reduction,energy conservation,and sustainable use of resources has led to an increased focus on the use of waste sludge in construction.We used waste sludge from a reservoir to produce high-strength sintered lightweight aggregate,and then used the densified mixture design algorithm to create high-performance concrete from the sintered aggregate with only small amounts of mixing water and cement.Ultrasonic,electrical resistance and concrete strength efficiency tests were perfo...

Uncracked reinforced concrete slabs were field exposed mounted on a floating pontoon and partly submerged for 5 years at the Swedish west coast. The total chloride ingress was analyzed at various exposure times at 3 elevations representing a submerged, a splash, and an atmospheric exposure zone. The concrete mixtures varied in w/c ratio, type of cement, and amount and type of pozzolan used in the binder. The data is unique as it represents recurrently measured total chloride penetration profiles at various exposure ages, providing a foundation for the prediction of chloride ingress inconcretein a given environment. The results after 5 years of exposure confirmed the expected inverse relationship between water-to-binder ratio and chloride ingress. The use of 5--10% silica fume in the binder had a very positive effect on reducing the chloride ingress, but little or no benefit at all was found for concrete with fly ash in the binder as compared to the use of 5% silica fume. The chloride penetration rate as expressed by a calculated effective chloride diffusivity has a tendency to decrease over time. High-performance concrete with w/c {le} 0.4 and a minimum of 5% silica fume added as a well dispersed slurry exhibited an effective chloride diffusivity in the range of 1 {times} 10{sup {minus}13} to 5 {times} 10{sup {minus}13} m{sup 2}/s after 5 years exposure in the splash zone.

Raining and sun-shining processes in natural climate were simulated by water spraying and infrared light shining alternately as wetting-drying cycles in accelerated durability test. The accelerating effects of the wetting-drying cycles and the variation of corrosion current density and corrosion potential of steel bar inconcrete under such conditions were studied. The result shows that the main reason leading to accelerating corrosion of steel bar inconcrete is the wetting-drying cycles, which can cause the increase of corrosion potential difference between the anode and cathode of steel bar corrosion cell and the decrease of concrete resistance. Corrosion rate of the steel bar inconcrete under four typical conditions, including wetting-drying cycle, long time submerging inwater, long time exposure to indoor and outdoor environment were measured and compared. The test results indicate that the corrosion rates under the four typical conditions are in the order of spraying and infrared light shining cycles, outdoor environment, indoor environment, and submerging inwater, respectively.

Full Text Available The paper deals with an impact of non–mechanical loads on the state of strength in massive concrete hydraulic structures. An example of hydroelectric plant subjected to the effect of water temperature annual fluctuation is considered. Numerical analysis of transient thermal–elasticity problem was performed. After determining the temperature distributions within the domain, the Duhamel-Neumann set of constitutive equations was employed to evaluate fields of mechanical quantities: displacement, strain and stress. The failure criterion proposed by Pietruszczak was adopted in assessing whether the load induces exceeding of strength of concrete within the structure volume. The primary finding is that the temperature effect can lead to damage of concretein draft tubes and spirals, especially in winter months.

This paper proposes to discuss the performances of the electrical spectroscopy employing a RESPER probe to measure the salinity s and volumetric content {\\theta}W of waterinconcretes and terrestrial soils. The RESPER probe is an induction device for spectroscopy which performs simultaneous and non invasive measurements on the electrical RESistivity 1/{\\sigma} and relative dielectric PERmittivity {\\epsilon}r of a subjacent medium. The RESPER measures {\\sigma} and {\\epsilon} with inaccuracies below a prefixed limit (10%) in the band of middle and high frequencies (MF-HF). The conductivity is related to salinity and the dielectric permittivity to volumetric water content by suitable refined theoretical models which are consistent with the predictions of two empirical laws, respectively Archie's and Topp's. The better agreement, the lower the hygroscopic water content and the higher s; so a better agreement occurs for concretes, containing almost no bound water molecules, provided that are characterized by an h...

This report is the second by the authors on characterizing the tritium content of cement and structural concrete. The first report reviewed the literature and used several new methods to characterize tritium on the surface and through the bulk of contaminated concrete at two facilities at the U.S. Department of Energy Savannah River Site (SRS). In both cases, a relatively constant tritium concentration as a function of depth was observed, which has not been previously reported in the literature. These findings were explained as the relatively rapid transport of tritiated liquid through pores of the hydrated cement, and the exchange of tritium with hydrogen found primarily as free and bound waterin the hydrated cement binder. The study reported here extended the measurement of surface and bulk tritium inconcrete to three other locations at SRS. The purpose of the current study was to characterize locations whose tritium exposure histories were well documented, and to characterize a location exposed exclusively to gaseous tritium, to confirm and possibly extend the knowledge gained from the earlier study. Results of the current study corroborate the earlier findings, in that the tritium concentration was constant through the bulk when exposed to aqueous tritium, even from a single aqueous tritium exposure. Exposure to gaseous tritium, on the other hand, lead to the well-known diffusion controlled variation of tritium concentration reported in the literature. Sufficient exposure history is available to enable a semi-quantitative explanation of the magnitude and depth dependence of the tritium in both the aqueous- and gas-exposed locations. The penetration of tritium from a liquid can be described by a hydraulic flow model, and gaseous tritium permeates in a diffusive manner. The general correlation of properly measured surface tritium activity to that in the underlying bulk found in the earlier study was confirmed. However, the surface and near surface tritium

Full Text Available In this research work, the effect of amorphous silica residue (ASR in the production of concrete was investigated. A mix proportion of 1:1.9:3.9 with water/cement ratio of 0.48 was used. The percentage replacement of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC with amorphous silica residue was 0%, 5%, 10%, 20% and 30%. Concrete cubes of 150mm x 150mm x 150mm and concrete beams of 150mm x 150mm x 600mm of OPC/ASR were cast and cured at 3, 7, 28, 60 and 90 days. At the end of each hydration period, the three concrete cube and beams for each hydration period were crushed and their average compressive and flexural strength recorded. A total of seventy five (75 concrete cubes and seventy five (75 concrete beams were cast. The result of the compressive strength test for 5-30% replacement of cement with amorphous silica residue ranges from 12.78-38.16N/mm2 while the control test (0% replacement ranges from 10.86-26.04N/mm2. The result of the flexural strength test for the same replacement level of cement with amorphous silica residue ranges from 2.29-11.69N/mm2 while the control test ranges from 2.14 – 7.80N/mm2. The initial setting time of OPC/ASR for 5-30% replacement level of cement with amorphous silica residue ranges from 37-53mins while the final setting time ranges from 408-573mins. The initial and final setting time of the control test is 58mins and 580mins respectively. Relevant literature has been cited to justify this research work. The main objective of this work is to determine the effect of amorphous silica residue on the setting time, compressive strength and flexural strength of concrete produced with it.

Deterioration of Concrete due to variety of reasons like corrosion of steel, inferior quality of materials as well as workmanship and exposure to aggressive environment like thermal cycling affect the performance or damage a number of Reinforced cement concrete structures. In order to repair these structures for enhancing the service life, number of methods and materials are available. But the degree of success of any repair inconcrete depends mainly on the correct choice and the method of application of repair materials. This paper discusses the details of an experimental investigation on the performance of Styrene ñ Butadiene Rubber (SBR) as a concrete repair material in tropical climatic conditions. Resistance to water penetration and tensile cracking are two important performance criteria for any repair material. Cement mortar cubes of mix proportion 1:3 with SBR added at the rate of 20% of the weight of cement, and control specimens without SBR were made. Compressive strength and sorptivity values of the cubes were determined. Shear Bond strength (by slant shear test) and splitting tensile strength of the repaired cylinder specimens of standard dimensions, in which SBR used as a bonding agent were determined. These values were compared with the values obtained for the similar specimens, in which the bonding agent applied was conventional cement slurry. The influence of thermal cycling on the properties of repaired concrete specimens were also studied. A comparison has also been made with the values required to meet the standard specifications of a repair material.

Full Text Available Industrial residues such as sludge from water treatment plants (Swtp from centrifuged method; electrical porcelain residues (Pw; silica fume (Sf1 and Sf2; tire-rubber waste were evaluated in order to be used inconcrete structures of electrical energy and environmental sectors, such as utility poles, crossarms, and reef balls technology. The results showed the necessity for evaluating different recycling concentrations inconcrete, concomitantly to physicochemical tests allowing to diagnose natural and accelerated aging.

The sulfide-induced corrosion of concrete sewer is a widespread and expensive problem for water utilities worldwide. Fundamental knowledge of the initiation and propagation of sewer corrosion, especially the interactions between chemical reactions and physical structure changes, is still largely unknown. Advanced mineral analytical techniques were applied to identify the distribution of corrosion products and the micro-cracking that developed along the corrosion boundary. It was found that sewer concrete corrosion caused by reactions with sulfuric acid progressed uniformly in the cement of concrete. In contrast to conventional knowledge, iron rust rather than gypsum and ettringite was likely the factor responsible for cracking ahead of the corrosion front. The analysis also allowed quantitative determination of the major corrosion products, i.e., gypsum and ettringite, with the latter found closer to the corrosion front. The conceptual model based on these findings clearly demonstrated the complex interactions among different chemical reactions, diffusion, and micro-structure changes.

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to investigate the characterization of moisture diffusion inside early-age concrete slabs subjected to curing. Time-dependent relative humidity (RH distributions of three mixture proportions subjected to three different curing methods (i.e., air curing, water curing, and membrane-forming compounds curing and sealed condition were measured for 28 days. A one-dimensional nonlinear moisture diffusion partial differential equation (PDE based on Fick’s second law, which incorporates the effect of curing in the Dirichlet boundary condition using a concept of curing factor, is developed to simulate the diffusion process. Model parameters are calibrated by a genetic algorithm (GA. Experimental results show that the RH reducing rate inside concrete under air curing is greater than the rates under membrane-forming compound curing and water curing. It is shown that the effect of water-to-cement (w/c ratio on self-desiccation is significant. Lower w/c ratio tends to result in larger RH reduction. RH reduction considering both effect of diffusion and self-desiccation in early-age concrete is not sensitive to w/c ratio, but to curing method. Comparison between model simulation and experimental results indicates that the improved model is able to reflect the effect of curing on moisture diffusion in early-age concrete slabs.

Life extensions of nuclear power plants to 60 and potentially 80 years of operation have renewed interest in long-term material degradation. One material being considered is concrete, with a particular focus on radiation-induced effects. Based on the projected neutron fluence values (E > 0.1 MeV) in the concrete biological shields of the US pressurized water reactor fleet and the available data on radiation effects on concrete, some decrease in mechanical properties of concrete cannot be ruled out during extended operation beyond 60 years. An expansion of the irradiated concrete database and a reliable determination of relevant neutron fluence energy cutoff value are necessary to ensure reliable risk assessment for extended operation of nuclear power plants. Notice: This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC0500OR22725 with the US Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes.

Full Text Available We numerically investigated moisture transfer in buildings made of concrete. We considered three types of concrete: normal concrete, pumice concrete and cellular concrete. We present the results of a 1-D liquid water flow in such materials. We evaluated the moisture distribution in building materials using the Runge-Kutta fourth-and-fifth-order method. The DOPRI5 code was used as an integrator. The model calculated the resulting moisture content and other moisture-dependent physical parameters. The moisture curves were plotted. The dampness data obtained was utilized for the numerical computation of the coefficient of the capillary conductivity of moisture. Different profiles of this coefficient are represented. Calculations were performed for four different values of the outdoor temperature: -5°C, 0°C, 5°C and 10°C. We determined that the curves corresponding to small time intervals of wetting are associated with great amplitudes of the capillary conductivity . The amplitudes of the coefficient of the capillary conductivity decrease as the time interval increases. High outdoor temperatures induce high amplitudes of the coefficient of the capillary conductivity.

Full Text Available Abstract There are some ways to extend the service life of a reinforced concrete structure. This paper focuses on the extension of the service life by treating the surface of reinforced concrete, specifically on the effect of the concrete cover thickness on the surface treatment system efficacy. Thus, chloride migration tests were performed and diffusion chloride coefficients were calculated. The service life of each case (treated or non-treated concrete was estimated using these data and Fick's second law of diffusion. Results indicated that the thicker the concrete cover is, the greater the efficacy of the concrete surface treatment system will be. The dissemination of this information is important, since it is almost intuitive to think that the effect of a surface treatment system depends only on itself and this study shows the opposite.

Corrosion of reinforced concrete is the most challenging durability problem that threatens reinforced concrete structures, especially structures that are subject to severe environmental conditions (i.e., highway bridges, marine structures, etc.). Corrosion of reinforcing steel leads to cracking and spalling of the concrete cover and billions of dollars are spent every year on repairing such damaged structures. New types of reinforcements have been developed to avoid these high-cost repairs. Thus, it is important to study the corrosion behavior of these new types of reinforcements and compare them to the traditional carbon steel reinforcements. This study aimed at characterizing the corrosion behavior of three competing reinforcing steels; conventional carbon steel, micro-composite steel (MMFX-2) and 316LN stainless steel, through experiments in carbonated and non-carbonated concrete exposed to chloride-laden environments. Synthetic pore water solutions have been used to simulate both cases of sound and carbonated concrete under chloride ions attack. A three-electrode corrosion cell is used for determining the corrosion characteristics and rates. Multiple electrochemical techniques were applied using a Gamry PC4™ potentiostat manufactured by Gamry Instruments (Warminster, PA). DC corrosion measurements were applied on samples subjected to fixed chloride concentration in the solution.

Full Text Available The aim of the study is to assess the quality of concrete produced with polymer waste as partial replacement of fine aggregate with a view to establishing areas where such concrete can be used. It is an experimental research that entails the following steps: First, the polymer waste material, PWM, was collected from dumps and processed; then its melting point determined. A varying proportion of PWM was used as partial replacement of fine aggregate A nominal mix of 1:3:6 was used to prepare 150×150×150 mm concrete cubes specimens with different proportion of 0, 10, 20 and 30%, respectively PWM partial substitution of fine aggregate. Samples were subjected to workability, compressive and tensile strength tests. Results show that PWM content has inverse relationship with the workability, compressive and tensile strengths. For example, an increase of 30% PWM results to about 53 and 73.3% decrease in compressive and tensile strengths, respectively. The compressive strength of the samples is in the range of 22.8-12.3 N/mm2 while the tensile strength ranges from 1.10-0.56 N/mm2. It is recommended that the concrete should not be used for structural work but such concrete has high water retention capacity. As such, the possibility of using it as a nuclear radiation shield should be investigated.

Full Text Available The concrete resistivity has been considered as a factor which affects the corrosion rate of the rebars. Untill now the only relation found has been stablished between potentials and resistivity for steel embedded in Chloride contaminated concrete.
In this paper a comparison between corrosion rate of rebars, determined from Polarization Resistance method, and Electrical Resistance data measured through the electronic compensation of the ohmic drop are given.
The results of icorr and Rohm has been measured for rebars embedded in mortar made with three different types of cement. The specimens were submited to an accelerated carbonation.
The relation between icorr and Rohm is quite similar in all the cases and suggests that the concrete electrical resistivity may be a controling factor of the corrosion rate of the rebars.

19 Figure 14. Photomicrograph of exposed surface of concrete showing biofilm growth and lack of damage to siliceous fine aggregates that...occur by inorganic dissolution reactions, will proceed in the absence of biofilms , and occur at neutral pH. Inorganic dissolution from contact with...siliceous fine aggregates. The aggregates and paste may also function as a direct food source for the biota with no acidification present. A second

In the field of construction, sustainable building materials are currently undergoing a process of technological development. This study aims to contribute to understanding the behavior of the fundamental properties of concretes prepared with recycled coarse aggregates that incorporate a polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-based additive in their matrix (produced by synthesis and glycolysis of recycled PET bottles) in an attempt to reduce their high porosity. Techniques to measure the gas adsorption, water porosity, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to evaluate the effect of the additive on the physical, mechanical and microstructural properties of these concretes. Porosity reductions of up to 30.60% are achieved with the addition of 1%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 7% and 9% of the additive, defining a new state in the behavioral model of the additive (the overdosage point) in the concrete matrix; in addition, the porous network of these concretes and their correlation with other physical and mechanical properties are also explained.

The effects of green high performance concrete (GHPC) admixture on the anti-chloride permeability and anti- chloride corrodibility of concrete are studied by a series of experiments designed on the basis of the diffusion principle and electrochemical principle. The GHPC admixture consists of fly ash, gangue, slag, red mud, etc., of which the mass fraction of industrial residues is over 96 %. The anti-permeabilities and anti-corrodibilities of the tested GHPC and normal concrete (NC) are evaluated by the Diffusion Coefficients of chloride which was obtained by measuring the concentration of chloride in the tested systems by the voltage difference method. It is found that the adoption of GHPC admixture greatly improves the anti-chloride permeability and anti-chloride corrodibility by modifying the inner structure and contracting the porosity of concrete to the reduce considerably the diffusion rate of chloride. The admixture is desirable regarding its engineering performances as well as economical and environmental interests.

Patients with semantic dementia (SD) have a striking impairment in semantic memory, but the basis for this deficit is unclear. We examined semantic memory for concrete and abstract verbs with a two-alternative, forced-choice measure of lexical semantic associative knowledge. Patients with SD had significantly greater difficulty with concrete verbs (z = -3.33) than with abstract verbs (z = -2.05), a "reversal of the concreteness effect" that was present in a majority of individual patients. The subgroup of SD patients with imaging had significant cortical thinning in the anterior and inferolateral portions of the temporal lobes. These areas of visual association cortex may be important for storing and processing visual features for word meaning. Moreover, poor performance with concrete relative to abstract verbs correlated with cortical thinning of the right anterior temporal lobe in SD, suggesting that this region may contribute to storing and processing visual semantic features. These observations raise the possibility that degraded visual feature knowledge contributes in part to the impaired comprehension of concrete words in SD.

Massive volcano-related materials (VRMs) erupted from volcanoes bring the impacts to natural environment and humanity health worldwide, which include generally volcanic ash (VA), volcanic pumice (VP), volcanic tuff (VT), etc. Considering the pozzolanic activities and mechanical characters of these materials, civil engineers propose to use them in low carbon/cement and environment-friendly concrete industries as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) or artificial/natural aggregates. The utilization of VRMs inconcretes has attracted increasing and pressing attentions from research community. Through a literature review, this paper presents comprehensively the properties of VRMs and VRM concretes (VRMCs), including the physical and chemical properties of raw VRMs and VRMCs, and the fresh, microstructural and mechanical properties of VRMCs. Besides, considering environmental impacts and the development of long-term properties, the durability and stability properties of VRMCs also are summarized in this paper. The former focuses on the resistance properties of VRMCs when subjected to aggressive environmental impacts such as chloride, sulfate, seawater, and freezing-thawing. The latter mainly includes the fatigue, creep, heat-insulating, and expansion properties of VRMCs. This study will be helpful to promote the sustainability inconcrete industries, protect natural environment, and reduce the impacts of volcano disaster. Based on this review, some main conclusions are discussed and important recommendations regarding future research on the application of VRMs inconcrete industries are provided.

Full Text Available This paper presents the findings of an experimental study on the application of a reinforced self-compacting concrete jacketing technique in damaged reinforced concrete beams. Test results of 12 specimens subjected to monotonic loading up to failure or under repeated loading steps prior to total failure are included. First, 6 beams were designed to be shear dominated, constructed by commonly used concrete, were initially tested, damaged, and failed in a brittle manner. Afterwards, the shear-damaged beams were retrofitted using a self-compacting concrete U-formed jacket that consisted of small diameter steel bars and U-formed stirrups in order to increase their shear resistance and potentially to alter their initially observed shear response to a more ductile one. The jacketed beams were retested under the same loading. Test results indicated that the application of reinforced self-compacting concrete jacketing in damaged reinforced concrete beams is a promising rehabilitation technique. All the jacketed beams showed enhanced overall structural response and 35% to 50% increased load bearing capacities. The ultimate shear load of the jacketed beams varied from 39.7 to 42.0 kN, whereas the capacity of the original beams was approximately 30% lower. Further, all the retrofitted specimens exhibited typical flexural response with high values of deflection ductility.

In the mid-1990s, to protect rebar from corrosion, NASA developed an electromigration technique that sends corrosion-inhibiting ions into rebar to prevent rust, corrosion, and separation from the surrounding concrete. Kennedy Space Center worked with Surtreat Holding LLC, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a company that had developed a chemical option to fight structural corrosion, combining Surtreat's TPS-II anti-corrosive solution and electromigration. Kennedy's materials scientists reviewed the applicability of the chemical treatment to the electromigration process and determined that it was an effective and environmentally friendly match. Ten years later, NASA is still using this approach to fight concrete corrosion, and it has also developed a new technology that will further advance these efforts-a liquid galvanic coating applied to the outer surface of reinforced concrete to protect the embedded rebar from corrosion. Surtreat licensed this new coating technology and put it to use at the U.S. Army Naha Port, in Okinawa, Japan. The new coating prevents corrosion of steel inconcretein several applications, including highway and bridge infrastructures, piers and docks, concrete balconies and ceilings, parking garages, cooling towers, and pipelines. A natural compliment to the new coating, Surtreat's Total Performance System provides diagnostic testing and site analysis to identify the scope of problems for each project, manufactures and prescribes site-specific solutions, controls material application, and verifies performance through follow-up testing and analysis.

Full Text Available Durability performance of rubberized concrete against abrasion is presented in this paper. Surface depth loss was measured when abrasion load was constantly applied on concrete surface at each 500 interval rotation. Specimen with water-to cement ratio of 0.50 and 0.35 was prepared and tested at 28 days of curing age. In addition, 10% silica fume, SF was added to provide denser concrete and to understand its effectiveness against wear when added with crumb rubber. Results showed that crumb rubber shows good potential in providing abrasion resistance to concrete mix. However, in the case of rubberized concrete with silica fume, abrasion resistance was found to be slightly decreased with compressive strength more than 50N/mm2 due to the lack of low elastic modulus of CR particles to accommodate with denser cement matrix.

Concrete is a material often use in the nuclear wastes disposal. The safety analysis of a long time wastes disposal with concrete requires to verify the concrete behaviour inwater. As concretes generally have cracks, it is necessary to study the crack propagation influence on chemical degradation. In this paper, the author presents diffusion tests on fissured and/or chemical aged cement. The chemical degradation of the material leads to a supplementary porosity by the hydrates decalcification and increases its diffusivity. The cracking impact is less important and can be experimentally concealed. (A.L.B.)

In this paper, spatial variabilities of some transfer and storage properties of a concrete wall were assessed. The studied parameters deal with water porosity, water vapor permeability, intrinsic permeability and water vapor sorption isotherms. For this purpose, a concrete wall was built in the laboratory and specimens were periodically taken and tested. The obtained results allow highlighting a statistical estimation of the mean value, the standard deviation and the spatial correlation length of the studied fields for each parameter. These results were discussed and a statistical analysis was performed in order to assess for each of these parameters the appropriate probability density function.

Full Text Available A comprehensive experimental program regarding the use of recycled aggregates produced from demolition of brick buildings is presented. The brick wastes were crushed, sorted and classified into coarse and fine aggregates as well as powder (CBP. The first phase of the research focuses on the effect of incorporating recycled aggregates on physico-mechanical properties of paste, mortar and concrete. Non-traditional tests including X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA and micro-structural analysis (MSA were performed. The second phase of the program explores the effect of using recycled aggregates on properties of concrete masonry units. A total of 44 mixtures were utilized throughout the program. Results show cement paste when modified with 25% CBP achieves smaller pore size and lower weight loss under high temperature than reference paste. Furthermore, the use of recycled aggregates reduces the overall unit weight of concrete masonry units. Actually, modified concrete masonry units incorporating recycled aggregates achieve lower unit weight, higher thermal resistance and absorption rate than reference units. Although considerable strength reduction is noticeable by substitution, compressive strength levels meet the Egyptian specifications limitations. Critical replacement ratios are suggested to produce load bearing-concrete masonry units. Based on experimental evidences, it can be stated that the use of recycled aggregate and dust made of clay bricks is promising in many applications where the thermal resistance, cost and environmental aspects are imperative.

The relaxation length of neutrons using a direct bare beam, a cadmium filtered beam and a beam of reactor thermal neutrons in ordinary, ilminite and ilmenite-limonite concrete shields have been calculated for disc collimated beam and infinite plane monodirectional sources. A shielding assembly with dimensions of 120 x 120 x 120 cm[sup 3] for each concrete type has been used. The data were obtained using one of the horizontal channels of the ET-RR-1 reactor. The results show that relaxation length value decreases with increasing concrete density for the three categories of neutrons when using a disc collimated beam or infinite plane monodirectional source. Also it was concluded that ilmenite concrete of high density (4.6 g/cm[sup 3]) and with constituents of relatively high atomic number is better than both ordinary and ilmenite-limonite concretes with densities of 2.3 and 2.9 g/cm[sup 3] respectively for slow neutron attenuation. (author).

Numbers might be understood by grounding in spatial orientation, where small numbers are represented as low or to the left and large numbers are represented as high or to the right. We presented numbers inconcrete (seven shoes in a shoe shop) or abstract (29 - 7) contexts and asked participants to make relative magnitude judgments. Following the judgment a target letter was presented at the top or bottom (Experiments 1-3) or left or right (Experiment 4) of the visual field. Participants were better at identifying letters at congruent than incongruent locations, but this effect was obtained only when numbers were presented inconcrete contexts. We conclude that spatial grounding might have a smaller role for numbers in abstract than inconcrete context.

Full Text Available This paper presents an experimental study on circular stirrup-confined concrete specimens under uniaxial and monotonic load. The effects of stirrup volume ratio, stirrup yield strength and concrete strength on damage evolution of stirrup-confined concrete were investigated. The experimental results showed that the strength and ductility of concrete are improved by appropriate arrangement of the stirrup confinement. Firstly, the concrete damage evolution can be relatively restrained with the increase of the stirrup volume ratio. Secondly, higher stirrup yield strength usually causes larger confining pressures and slower concrete damage evolution. In contrast, higher concrete strength leads to higher brittleness, which accelerates the concrete damage evolution. A plastic strain expression is obtained through curve fitting, and a damage evolution equation for circular stirrup-confined concrete is proposed by introducing a confinement factor (C based on the experimental data. The comparison results demonstrate that the proposed damage evolution model can accurately describe the experimental results.

A two-dimensional code is developed for molten core-concrete interaction (MCCI) based on Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method. Heat transfer is calculated without any specific correlations. A particle can be changed to a moving (fluid) or fixed (solid) particle corresponding to its enthalpy, which provide the phase change model for particles. The phase change model is verified by one-dimensional test calculations. Nucleate boiling and radiation heat transfers are considered between the core debris and the water pool. The developed code is applied to SWISS-2 experiment in which stainless steel is used as the melt material. Calculated heat flux to the water pool agrees well with the experiment, though the ablation speed in the concrete is a little slower. A stable crust is formed in a short time after water is poured in and the heat flux to the water pool rapidly decreases. MACE-M0 using corium is also analyzed. The ablation speed of concrete is slower than that of SWISS-2 because of low heat conduction in corium. An unlimited geometry is analyzed by setting the cyclic boundary condition on the sides. When the crust is broken by the decomposition gas, heat transfer to the water pool is kept high for a longer time because the crust re-formation is delayed. (author)

Corrosion of the reinforcement inconcrete structures can lead to a substantial decrease of the load-bearing capacity. One mode of corrosion initiation is when the chloride content around the reinforcement exceeds a threshold value. In the present paper a statistical model is developed by which t...... the chloride content in a 1reinforced concrete structure can be predicted. The model parameters are estimated on the basis of measurements. The distribution of the time to initiation of corrosion is estimated by FORMISORM-analysis.......Corrosion of the reinforcement inconcrete structures can lead to a substantial decrease of the load-bearing capacity. One mode of corrosion initiation is when the chloride content around the reinforcement exceeds a threshold value. In the present paper a statistical model is developed by which...

A nonlinear finite element model (FEM) of the corrosion of steel reinforcement inconcrete has been successfully developed on the basis of mathematical analysis of the electrochemical process of steel corrosion inconcrete. The influences of the area ratio and the Tafel constants of the anode and cathode on the potential and corrosion current density have been examined with the model. It has been found that the finite element calculation is more suitable for assessing the corrosion condition of steel reinforcement than ordinary electrochemical techniques due to the fact that FEM can obtain the distributions of potential and corrosion current density on the steel surface. In addition, the local corrosion of steel reinforcement inconcrete is strengthened with the decrease of both the area ratio and the Tafel constants. These results provide valuable information to the researchers who investigate steel corrosion.

In this paper, we study a non-linear numerical scheme arising from the implicit time discretization of the Ba\\v{z}ant-Thonguthai model for hygro-thermal behavior of concrete at high temperatures. Existence and uniqueness of the time-discrete solution in two dimensions is established using the theory of pseudomonotone operators in Banach spaces. Next, the spatial discretization is accomplished by the conforming finite element method. An illustrative numerical example shows that the numerical model reproduces well the rapid increase of pore pressure in wet concrete due to extreme heating. Such phenomenon is of particular interest for the safety assessment of concrete structures prone to thermally-induced spalling.

the ductility of the fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) is set up and experimental work is conducted in order to verify the crack width model. The ductility of the FRC is taken into account by using the stress crack width relation. The constitutive model for the FRC is based on the idea that the initial part......The main object of the research work presented in this paper is to establish design tools for concrete structures where main reinforcement is combined with addition of short discrete steel fibers. The work is concerned with calculating and measuring crack widths in structural elements subjected...... to bending load. Thus, the aim of the work is to enable engineers to calculate crack widths for flexural concrete members and analyze how different combinations of amounts of fibers and amounts of main reinforcement can meet a given maximum crack width requirement. A mathematical model including...

This paper studies a new innovative concrete with phase change materials (PCM) on thermal aspects. The final objective is to develop a product which would achieve important energy savings in buildings. The work here presented is the construction and experimental installation of two real size concrete cubicles to study the effect of the inclusion of a PCM with a melting point of 26{sup o}C. The cubicles were constructed in the locality of Puigverd of Lleida (Spain). The results of this study show the energy storage in the walls by encapsulating PCMs and the comparison with conventional concrete without PCMs leading to an improved thermal inertia as well as lower inner temperatures. (author)

We present in this Note an experimental study-in a laboratory setup-of the mechanical effect (cracking of concrete) of corrosion on plates made of reinforced concrete. Due to the geometry it is possible to use digital image correlation to follow the evolution of strains induced by the corrosion of reinforcement. The corrosion is accelerated by the imposition of current density. Even if the representativeness of this test is still discussed, it allows one to record the entire strain history. The kinetics of cracking has been obtained and compared to a very simple model in which the increase of the corroded layer is modelled by a fictitious thermal load, the reinforcement remaining elastic and the concrete being damageable. (authors)

Full Text Available This research deals with the field investigations and construction properties for using limestone as a lightweight course aggregate inconcrete mixture in stead of normal coarse aggregate. Concrete cubes samples have been prepared with dimensions of 150*150*150 mm according to ASTM. For these samples the normal coarse aggregate was replaced by 100% coarse crushed limestone. Three types of limestone which were used (Al-Sinea, Makhool and Himreen, it was found that the Al-Sinea type of limestone gave a good combination (fcu =32.11MPa without admixtures. The obtained results showed a suitable reduction in dead loads of structural elements and cost. Accordingly, the usage of limestone will improve the structural applications and concrete mix properties to attain economic viability. These above results make limestone as a good alternative of normal coarse aggregate

The old two-lane Perley Bridge in Hawkesbury, Ontario, has been replaced by a four-lane bridge. The old bridge had a reinforced concrete deck supported by a steel structure. A research project aimed at evaluating the corrosion present in the steel reinforcement in repaired concrete on the old bridge was completed, and the results indicated that corrosion can be predicted in a more reliable manner by using several different corrosion monitoring techniques and analyzing the results. The exposure conditions and the age of the old bridge were known, which made it possible to obtain valuable information on the deterioration process and mechanisms, as well as their effect on the corrosion of the reinforcing steel by examining the slabs. Several factors play a role in the probability and rate of corrosion. They include carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide, and chloride present in the atmosphere, and the amounts of oxygen at the interface of the steel reinforcement and the concrete. Half-cell potential measurements, which measure the potential difference between a standard portable half-cell and the reinforcing steel, have been used since the 1980s to identify the condition of concrete structures. This measurement provides only an indication of the likelihood of corrosion. In the case of the Perley Bridge, half-cell potential measurements, linear polarization, and concrete resistivity measurements were taken on four slabs of repaired concrete removed from the bridge. The results demonstrated that each method has benefits and limitations, which used in combination, provide a valid indication of active corrosion in the reinforcement. In the future, the reliability of different techniques will be assessed by considering environmental conditions.

The electromagnetic scattered field by a reinforced concrete structure is calculated by means of frequency-domain numerical simulations and by making use of the scattered-field formulation. The concrete pillar, used as supporting architectural element, is modelled as a parallelepiped shell made of concrete material inside which are present steel bars. In order to make the model simpler, the steel bars are supposed running parallel to the air-pillar interface. To excite the model, a linearly-polarized plane wave impinging normally with respect to the pillars surface, is adopted. We consider two different polarizations in order to determine the most useful in terms of scattered-field sensitivity. Moreover, a preliminary frequency sweep allows us to choose the most suitable operating frequency depending on the dimensions of the pillar cross-section, the steel bars cross-section and the concrete cover. All the three components of the scattered field are monitored along a line just above the interface air-pillar. The electromagnetic properties of the materials employed in this study are present in the literature and, since a frequency-domain technique is adopted, no further approximation is needed. The results obtained for different values of the concrete cover are compared, with the goal of determining the scattered field dependence on the concrete cover thickness. Considering different concrete cover thicknesses, we want to provide an electromagnetic method to obtain this useful parameter by observation of the scattered electromagnetic field. One of the practical applications of this study in the field of Civil Engineering may be the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR) techniques to monitor the thickness of the concrete that separates the metal bars embedded in the pillar from the outer surface. A correct distance is useful because the concrete cover serves as a protection against external agents avoiding corrosion of the bars that might prejudice the reinforced

Clean coal ash waste from coal-fired power stations is currently under-utilized, as are control technologies for reducing SOx and NOx emissions resulting from fluidized bed combustion (FBC). FBC ash is produced by an FBC boiler in which the coal and limestone mixture is fluidized during the combustion process to allow removal of sulfur gases. This study was conducted to find practical solutions for using the waste product to address environmental concerns and the issue of reduced landfill space. In particular, the study focused on developing a manufacturing technology for the use of FBC and wet-collected, low-lime, coarse coal-ash (WA) in ready-mixed concrete. Nine concrete mixtures and test specimens were made at a ready-mixed concrete plant in Peoria, Illinois. The properties of fresh concrete were tested along with compressive strength, splitting-tensile strength, flexural strength and abrasion resistance for non-entrained, non-air-entrained with high-range water-reducing admixture (HRWRA), and air-entrained admixture (AEA) concrete. The percentage of FBC ash ranged from 22 to 45 per cent in the non-air-entrained concrete and 17 to 27 per cent in the concrete containing AEA. Resistance to salt-scaling of the AEA concrete mixtures exposed to deicing chemicals was also examined. The study showed that the use of normal dosages of AEA was not effective inconcrete made with FBC ash. The results also indicated that non-air-entrained concrete mixtures could successfully incorporate up to 22 per cent FBC ash to cementitious material ratio (ash/cm) and a blend of 34 per cent FBC ash/cm and 5 per cent WA/aggregate. Up to 45 per cent FBC ash/cm and 5 per cent of WA/aggregate could also be used in non-air-entrained concrete mixtures using HRWRA for general concrete construction, as could concrete mixtures containing AEA incorporating up to 17 per cent FBC ash/cm with blends of 27 per cent FBC ash/cm and 5 per cent WA/aggregate. 17 refs., 2 tabs., 10 figs.

Couplings between creep of hardened concrete and temperature/water effects are well-known. Both the level and the gradients in time of temperature or water content influence the creep properties. In early age concrete the internal drying and the heat development due to hydration increase the effect...... of these couplings. The purpose of this work is to set up a mathematical model for creep of concrete which includes the transitional thermal effect. The model govern both early age concrete and hardened concrete. The development of the material properties in the model are assumed to depend on the hydration process...... and the thermal activation of the waterin the microstructure. The thermal activation is assumed to be governed by the Arrhenius principle and the activation energy of the viscosity of water is found applicable in the analysis of experimental data. Changes in temperature create an imbalance in the microstructure...

Couplings between creep of hardened concrete and temperature/water effects are well-known. Both the level and the gradients in time of temperature or water content influence the creep properties. In early age concrete the internal drying and the heat development due to hydration increase the effect...... of these couplings. The purpose of this work is to set up a mathematical model for creep of concrete that includes the transitional thermal effect. The model governs both early age concrete and hardened concrete. The development of the material properties in the model is assumed to depend on the hydration process...... and the thermal activation of waterin the microstructure. The thermal activation is assumed to be governed by the Arrhenius principle, and the activation energy of the viscosity of water is found applicable in the analysis of the experimental data. Changes in temperature create an imbalance in the microstructure...

Benchmarking work was recently performed for the issue of molten corium concrete interaction (MCCI). A synthesis is given here. It concerns first the 2D CCI-2 test with a homogeneous pool and a limestone concrete, which was used for a blind benchmark. Secondly, the COMET-L2 and COMET-L3 2D experiments in a stratified configuration were used as a post-test (L2) and a blind-test (L3) benchmark. More details are given here for the recent benchmark considering a matrix of four reactor cases, with both a homogeneous and a stratified configuration, and with both a limestone and a siliceous concrete. A short overview is given on the different models used in the codes, and the consistency between the benchmark actions on experiments and reactor situations is discussed. Finally, the major uncertainties concerning MCCI are also pointed out. (authors)

The existing fleet of nuclear power plants in the United States have initial operating licenses of 40 years, and many of these plants have applied for and received license extensions. As plant structures, systems, and components age, their useful life—considering both structural integrity and performance—is reduced as a result of deterioration of the materials. Assessment and management of aging concrete structures in nuclear plants require a more systematic approach than simple reliance on existing code-based design margins of safety. Structural health monitoring is required to produce actionable information regarding structural integrity that supports operational and maintenance decisions. The online monitoring of concrete structures project conducted under the Advanced Instrumentation, Information, and Control Technologies Pathway of the Light Water Reactor Sustainability program at Idaho National Laboratory is seeking to develop and demonstrate capabilities for concrete structures health monitoring. Through this research project, several national laboratories and Vanderbilt University propose to develop a framework of research activities for the health monitoring of nuclear power plant concrete structures that includes the integration of four elements—damage modeling, monitoring, data analytics, and uncertainty quantification. This report briefly discusses activities in this project during October-December, 2014. The most significant activity during this period was the organizing of a two-day workshop on research needs in online monitoring of concrete structures, hosted by Vanderbilt University in November 2014. Thirty invitees from academia, industry and government participated in the workshop. The presentations and discussions at the workshop surveyed current activities related to concrete structures deterioration modeling and monitoring, and identified the challenges, knowledge gaps, and opportunities for advancing the state of the art; these

Numerous waste materials are generated from manufacturing processes, service industries and municipal solid wastes. The increasing awareness about the environment has tremendously contributed to the concerns related with disposal of the generated wastes. Solid waste management is one of the major environmental concerns in the world. With the scarcity of space for landfilling and due to its ever increasing cost, waste utilization has become an attractive alternative to disposal. Research is being carried out on the utilization of waste products inconcrete. Such waste products include discarded tires, plastic, glass, steel, burnt foundry sand, and coal combustion by-products (CCBs). Each of these waste products has provided a specific effect on the properties of fresh and hardened concrete. The use of waste products inconcrete not only makes it economical, but also helps in reducing disposal problems. Reuse of bulky wastes is considered the best environmental alternative for solving the problem of disposal. One such waste is plastic, which could be used in various applications. However, efforts have also been made to explore its use inconcrete/asphalt concrete. The development of new construction materials using recycled plastics is important to both the construction and the plastic recycling industries. This paper presents a detailed review about waste and recycled plastics, waste management options, and research published on the effect of recycled plastic on the fresh and hardened properties of concrete. The effect of recycled and waste plastic on bulk density, air content, workability, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, impact resistance, permeability, and abrasion resistance is discussed in this paper.

Full Text Available Problem statement: In India, the early deterioration of reinforced concrete structures has become a big social problem in recent years. An essential research is needed for the development of effective repair materials and their execution systems comes to an important issue from the viewpoint of the longevity of infrastructures at present. Ferrocement laminates are introduced to enhance the overall performance of Reinforced Concrete (RC structures and these days the use of it is a promising technology for increasing the flexural strength of deficient reinforced concrete members. Approach: The repair system aims to provide quantitative repair enhancement as well as extending the life of deteriorated concrete members. This research in particular inspired the initiation of the present work which aimed to develop a material with unique properties and a very wide range of practical applications. The mechanical properties of mortar through difference in polymer content with Acrilic Latex by ferrocement among three different volume fractions of mesh reinforcement were studied. Following the encouraging progress made in the formulation and evaluation of the polymer modified repair mortar, tests were carried out involving the application of the reinforced repair material to the soffit of the reinforced concrete beams of 3 m length. Results: The levels of damage of the original beams prior to repair did not affect the ultimate load of the strengthened beams tested. The performance of the strengthened beams was compared to the control beams with respect to cracking, deflection and ultimate strength which confirm preeminent results. Conclusion: This accomplished the fact that acrylic rubber latex modified ferrocement is a doable alternative strengthening component for the rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures. Further developments in these systems will create dramatic improvement into the field of rehabilitation of old privileged structures.

The numerical simulation on explosion inconcrete and soil is performed by using the three-dimension finite element code LS-DYNA, into which a continuum damage model which can well describe the fracture of concrete is implemented. As a consequence, wave propagation and attenuation inconcrete and on soil-concrete interface are obtained respectively. Moreover, the damage regions of concrete at different thicknesses of soil (TOS) and depths of charge (DOC) are procured. The existent soil reduces damage region of concrete. Numerical results provide reference for design of warhead and protective structure and blasting.

Corrosion of the reinforcement inconcrete structures can lead to a substantial decrease of the load-bearing capacity. One mode of corrosion initiation is when the chloride content around the reinforcement exceeds a threshold value. In the present paper a statistical model is developed by which...... the chloride content in a reinforced concrete structure can be predicted. The model parameters are estimated on the basis of measurements. The distribution of the time to initiation of corrosion is estimated by FORM/SORM-analysis....

This paper summarizes major findings of a long-term study of hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) adsorption and oxidation on concrete and plastic sewer pipe surfaces. The processes have been studied using a pilot-scale setup designed to replicate conditions in a gravity sewer located downstream of a force...... H2S concentration inconcrete sewers would typically amount to a few percent of the equilibrium concentration calculated from Henrys law. In plastic pipe sewers, significantly higher concentrations were predicted because of the slower adsorption and oxidation kinetics on these surfaces. Finally...

Full Text Available Forensic building is needed to examine the affected building structure components to assess the structural integrity. This paper highlights some of the studies involved on affected concrete structures in various building types where the non-destructive test (NDT and destructive tests. The structural integrity can be evaluated based on the extent of deterioration from the experimental results for instance the cause of the corrode reinforcements was due to inadequate concrete cover, whereas the failure of the concrete wall was due to structures’ under design which leads to the collapse of the wall. The condition of the floor slab that experience vibration was assessed from the Laser Doppler Vibrator test (LDV. Based on the test results the peak acceleration of the particular floor slab is higher.

A process for treating fly ash to render it highly usable as a concrete additive. A quantity of fly ash is obtained that contains carbon and which is considered unusable fly ash for concrete based upon foam index testing. The fly ash is mixed with an activator solution sufficient to initiate a geopolymerization reaction and for a geopolymerized fly ash. The geopolymerized fly ash is granulated. The geopolymerized fly ash is considered usable fly ash for concrete according to foam index testing. The geopolymerized fly ash may have a foam index less than 35% of the foam index of the untreated fly ash, and in some cases less than 10% of the foam index of the untreated fly ash. The activator solution may contain an alkali metal hydroxide, carbonate, silicate, aluminate, or mixtures thereof.

Repair and upgrading existing concrete structures using FRPs and an epoxy adhesive as the bonding agent has some disadvantages when it comes to compatibility to the base concrete. Epoxies are often restricted by regulations of use, have low permeability which may create freeze/thaw problems, poor...... thermal compatibility to the base concrete and are often sensitive to the surface nature and surrounding temperature. By using mineral based composites (MBC) some of these challenges can be overcome. MBC refers here to a cementitious bonding agent and a carbon FRP grid. This paper is a part of an ongoing...... study of MBC systems. Emphasis is placed on the cracking behavior of the MBC system used for shear strengthening of RC beams. Traditional foil strain gauges and photometric measurements have been used for monitoring of the cracking behavior. In this study it is shown that the use of mineral based shear...

A process for treating fly ash to render it highly usable as a concrete additive. A quantity of fly ash is obtained that contains carbon and which is considered unusable fly ash for concrete based upon foam index testing. The fly ash is mixed with an activator solution sufficient to initiate a geopolymerization reaction and for a geopolymerized fly ash. The geopolymerized fly ash is granulated. The geopolymerized fly ash is considered usable fly ash for concrete according to foam index testing. The geopolymerized fly ash may have a foam index less than 35% of the foam index of the untreated fly ash, and in some cases less than 10% of the foam index of the untreated fly ash. The activator solution may contain an alkali metal hydroxide, carbonate, silicate, aluminate, or mixtures thereof.

Concrete block pavements (c.b.p.) commonly consist of concrete blocks placed over a granular substructure. As a result of wheel load passages permanent strains will slowly develop in the substructure and cause rutting. This paper is about the prediction of the permanent strain development in the substructure and the associated rutting on the basis of the results of repeated load triaxial tests and analytical models. By discussing the behaviour of three c.b.p.'s it is shown that insight into c...

For the study of chloride ion erosion in cracked concrete, this essay tries to take advantages of relevant trails to build up concrete chloride ion diffusion model based on the Fick’s second law. The parameter of this model is easy to be set, and many factors such as the effect of cracks are taken into consideration in this experiment. The concept of “chloride ion diffusion coefficient of equivalent apparent” is introduced to simplify the calculation. It can help simplify the calculation process, and get a more accurate test result, as well as facilitating the practical application of this parameter.

The present understanding of selected corrosion phenomena in reinforced concrete is reviewed. Special emphasis is given to chloride induced corrosion. There is a general acceptance of the basic corrosion mechanism for steel inconcrete. However different anodic reactions governing the subsequent...... formation and composition of corrosion products have been proposed. Suggested reactions, except half-cell reactions, are verified or rejected based on their Gibbs free energy, while the electrode potential is calculated for half-cell reactions. Corrosion products postulated to form are related...

Full Text Available Corrosion of steel bars embedded in reinforced concrete (RC structures reduces the service life and durability of structures causing early failure of structure, which costs significantly for inspection and maintenance of deteriorating structures. Hence, monitoring of reinforcement corrosion is of significant importance for preventing premature failure of structures. This paper attempts to present the importance of monitoring reinforcement corrosion and describes the different methods for evaluating the corrosion state of RC structures, especially hal-cell potential (HCP method. This paper also presents few techniques to protect concrete from corrosion.

Corrosion of steel bars embedded in reinforced concrete (RC) structures reduces the service life and durability of structures causing early failure of structure, which costs significantly for inspection and maintenance of deteriorating structures. Hence, monitoring of reinforcement corrosion is of significant importance for preventing premature failure of structures. This paper attempts to present the importance of monitoring reinforcement corrosion and describes the different methods for evaluating the corrosion state of RC structures, especially hal-cell potential (HCP) method. This paper also presents few techniques to protect concrete from corrosion.

The presented doctoral thesis deals with numerical analysis of fresh mass concrete, that is concrete whose temperature rise due to heat of cement hydration must be controlled. The thesis consists of two parts. In the first part, a numerical model which solves a fully coupled problem of water, moist air, and heat transfer in fresh concrete and mechanical analysis is presented. Basic equations are deduced from the model of the porous body, which describes concrete as a material, composed of ...

disposing palm oil fuel ash, a by-product of palm oil mill since many years ago. The discovery made by researchers of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia last century in revealing the potential of this finely ground waste as a partial cement replacement in normal concrete has stem efforts towards studying the possibility of using it in high strength concrete production. This paper illustrates the durability aspect of high strength concrete produced using POFA of different fineness when exposed to acidic environment. Two POFA concrete mixes with different fineness termed (POFA 45 and POFA 10 at 20% replacement level by weight of cement and an OPC concrete mix functioning as control specimen termed Po was considered in this study. All the specimens were subjected to water curing for 28 days before immersed in the hydrochloric solution having pH 2 for 1800 hours. The progressive deterioration was evaluated through mass changing of the specimens, visual inspection and relative compressive strength determinations. Conclusively, the study found that increase in the POFA fineness enhances the resistance of high strength POFA concrete towards acid attack.

Full Text Available Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC is an ultra high performance concrete which has superior mechanical and physical properties. The RPC is composed of cement and very fine powders such as crushed quartz (100–600 μm and silica fume with very low water/binder ratio (W/B (less than 0.20 and Super Plasticizer (SP. The RPC has a very high compressive and tensile strength with better durability properties than current high performance concretes. Application of very low water/binder ratio with a high dosage of super plasticizer, different heat curing processes and pre-setting pressure improve mechanical and physical properties of RPC. In this study, the RPC is composed of available materials in Iran. Two different mixing proportions, different water/binder ratios for preparation of samples, different super plasticizer dosages, five different (0, 25, 50, 100 and 150 MPa pre-setting pressure and 7 different curing regimes were used in samples preparation and experiments. Results showed that appropriate water/binder ratio and super plasticizer dosage, higher temperature and pre-setting pressure increase the workability, density and compressive strength of compositions.

In this article, the author takes the background of solving the concrete curing cracks in the channel lining project of northern Sinkiang, and combines with the application of hi-gh polymer material curing membrane with water-saving and moisturize in the curing test to provide certain reference for concrete curing.%本文以解决北疆某渠道衬砌工程中混凝土养护裂缝的产生为背景，结合养护试验中的应用节水保湿高分子材料养护膜，对混凝土养护方面起到了一定的参考作用。

Reinforcement corrosion is frequently considered as the predominant degradation mechanism affecting reinforced concrete structures. Reinforced concrete structures are commonly subject to harsh environmental and loading conditions in which aggressive species can penetrate. Chlorides, present in

Reinforcement corrosion is frequently considered as the predominant degradation mechanism affecting reinforced concrete structures. Reinforced concrete structures are commonly subject to harsh environmental and loading conditions in which aggressive species can penetrate. Chlorides, present in seaw

Elemental components of ordinary concrete contain a variety of metals and rare earth elements that are susceptible to neutron activation. This activation occurs by means of radiative capture, a neutron interaction that results in formation of radioisotopes such as Co-60, Eu-152, and Eu-154. Studies have shown that these three radioisotopes are responsible for the residual radioactivity found in nuclear power plant concrete reactor dome and shielding walls. Such concrete is classified as Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) and Very Low Level Waste (VLLW) by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards and requires disposal at appropriate disposal sites. There are only three such sites in the USA, and every nuclear power plant will produce at the time of decommissioning approximately 1,500 tonnes of activated concrete classified as LLRW and VLLW. NAVA ALIGA (ancient word for a new stone) is a new concrete mixture developed mainly by research as presented in this thesis. The purpose of NAVA ALIGA is to satisfy IAEA clearance levels if used as a material for reactor dome, spent fuel pool, or radioactive waste canisters. NAVA ALIGA will never be activated above the IAEA clearance level after long-term exposure to neutron radiation when used as a material for reactor dome, spent fuel pool, and radioactive waste canisters. Components of NAVA ALIGA were identified using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ISP-MS) to determine trace element composition. In addition, it was tested for compressive strength and permeability, important for nuclear infrastructure. The studied mixture had a high water to cement ratio of 0.56, which likely resulted in the high measured permeability, yet the mixture also showed a compressive strength greater than 6 000 psi after 28 days. In addition to this experimental analysis, which goal was to develop a standard approach to define the concrete mixtures in satisfying the IAEA

This work focuses on the analysis of the capability of Ground-Penetrating radar (GPR) technique for evaluating how the water penetrates into concrete samples by means of the assessment of the waterfront advance. Research activities have been carried out during a Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) funded by the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar" in November 2015. The evaluation of water penetrability is crucial in most building materials, such us concrete, since, water and aggressive chemical agents dissolved therein contribute to the deterioration of the material. A number of techniques have been developed to measure their advance inconcrete. Although the most common method for measuring water content is the gravimetric method by observing the change in mass, this method has a large number of disadvantages. In this context, non-destructive techniques as GPR play an interesting role. In particular, the application of GPR in the building materials area is providing very promising and interesting results regarding the building materials characterization and especially concrete deterioration evaluation [1-3]. In addition, recent experimental studies highlight the strong relation between wave propagation parameters (velocity and energy level) and water content advance [4-5]. Water content has a decisive influence on dielectric properties and those might be assessed by the study of the wave properties that are derived by using GPR. Therefore, the waterfront advance will result in a change on wave parameters. In line with this, this research is focused on the development of specific processing algorithms necessary to understand how the water penetrates and how the wave parameters will be affected regarding the location of the antenna in reference to the water absorption direction. For this purpose, concrete samples were manufactured, which after curing (90 days) and oven

textabstractNumbers might be understood by grounding in spatial orientation, where small numbers are represented as low or to the left and large numbers are represented as high or to the right. We presented numbers inconcrete (seven shoes in a shoe shop) or abstract (29 7) contexts and asked partic

textabstractNumbers might be understood by grounding in spatial orientation, where small numbers are represented as low or to the left and large numbers are represented as high or to the right. We presented numbers inconcrete (seven shoes in a shoe shop) or abstract (29 7) contexts and asked

Self-compacting concrete was first developed in 1988 to achieve durable concrete structures. Since then, various investigations have been carried out and this type of concrete has been used in practical structures in Japan, mainly by large construction companies. Investigations for establishing a rational mix-design method and self-compactability testing methods have been carried out from the viewpoint of making self-compacting concrete a standard concrete.

Self-compacting concrete was first developed in 1988 to achieve durable concrete structures. Since then, various investigations have been carried out and this type of concrete has been used in practical structures in Japan, mainly by large construction companies. Investigations for establishing a rational mix-design method and self-compactability testing methods have been carried out from the viewpoint of making self-compacting concrete a standard concrete.

Full Text Available Heavy weight high performance concrete (HPC can be used when particular properties, such as high strength and good radiation shielding are required. Such concrete, using ilmenite and hematite coarse aggregates can significantly have higher specific gravities than those of concrete made with dolomite and air-cooled slag aggregates. Four different concrete mixes with the same cement content and different w/c ratios were designed using normal dolomite aggregate, air-cooled slag by-product and two different types of iron ore aggregates. High performance concrete (grade-M60 can be achieved using superplasticizer to reduce the water/cement ratio; the effect of SF on the performance of concrete was studied by addition of 10% silica fume to the total cement content. The physico-mechanical properties of coarse aggregates and hardened concrete were studied. The results show that, Ilmenite coarse aggregate gives higher physical and mechanical properties than the other aggregates. Also, addition of 10% silica fume developed a stronger and a denser interfacial transition zone (ITZ between concrete particles and the cement matrix. Crushed air-cooled slag can be used to produce a high-strength concrete with better mechanical properties than corresponding concrete made with crushed hematite and ilmenite. Heavy density concrete made with fine aggregates of ilmenite and air-cooled slag are expected to be suitable as shielding materials to attenuate gamma rays.

Full Text Available An investigation of mechanical behaviour and elastic properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC is presented. RACs were prepared by using a coarse aggregate fraction made of recycled concrete coming from a recycling plant in which rubble from concrete structure demolition is collected and suitably treated. Several concrete mixtures were prepared by using either the only virgin aggregates (as reference or 30% coarse recycled aggregate replacing gravel and by using two different kinds of cement. Different water-to-cement ratios were adopted ranging from 0.40 to 0.60. Concrete workability was always in the range 190–200 mm. Concrete compressive strength, elastic modulus, and drying shrinkage were evaluated. Results obtained showed that structural concrete up to C32/40 strength class can be manufactured with RAC. Moreover, results obtained from experimentation were discussed in order to obtain useful information for RAC structure design, particularly in terms of elastic modulus and drying shrinkage prediction.

Full Text Available Malaysia being one of the world largest palm oil producers has been disposing oil palm shell, which is a by-product from palm oil mill thus causing negative impact to the environment. At the same time, extensive mining of natural river sand in large amount to meet the increasing demand of concrete production for the use in rapidly developing construction industry has posed the risk of natural aggregate depletion and ecological imbalance in future. The effect of finely Crushed Oil Palm Shell (COPS as partial sand replacement material inconcrete mix towards density and compressive strength was investigated in this study. Total of five mixes consisting various content of crushed oil palm shell as partial sand replacement ranging from 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% were prepared in form of cubes. All the specimens were water cured before tested at 7, 14 and 28 days. Compressive strength was conducted in accordance to BSEN 12390. Generally, the compressive strength and density decrease with the increase in the crushed oil palm shell replacement level. Between 50 to 75% replacement, the mix produced possess lower density enabling it to be categorized as lightweight concrete and has the potential to be used as non-load bearing structure. The application in structural concrete material is suited for mix consisting around 25% of crushed oil palm shell.

Full Text Available Concrete is the most important component used in the construction industry throughout the world, where the fine aggregate is generally natural sand. The use of sand in construction activities results in the excessive mining. Due to excessive mining, natural resources are getting exhausted, results in increase in scour depth and sometimes flood possibility. Thus, it is becoming inevitable to use alternative material inconcrete.Marble is one of the important materials used in the construction industry. Marble powder is produced from processing plants during the sawing and polishing of marble blocks and about 20 - 25% of the processed marble is turn into powder form. Disposal of the marble powder material from the marble industry is one of the environmental problems worldwide today.The present study is aimed at utilizing Waste marble powder construction industry itself as fine aggregate inconcrete, replacing natural sand. The replacement is done partially and fully in the proportion 0%, 25%, 50% and 100% and its effect on properties of concrete were investigated.

Corrosion of the reinforcement inconcrete structures can be initiated when the chloride concentration around the reinforcement exceeds a threshold value. In order to prevent the corrosion from reaching a stage where the load-bearing capacity of a given structure suffers a substantial decrease...

The aim of this report is to give an insight into what happens in a reinforced concrete pile during driving, and to contribute to design requirements for the loading case pile driving. Since the behaviour of stress waves in piles is influenced by a various number of parameters, the fewest of which r

The aim of this report is to give an insight into what happens in a reinforced concrete pile during driving, and to contribute to design requirements for the loading case pile driving. Since the behaviour of stress waves in piles is influenced by a various number of parameters, the fewest of which

We explore means of designing and evaluating initial visualization ideas, with concrete and realistic data in cases where data is not readily available. Our approach is useful in exploring new domains and avenues for visualization, and contrasts other visualization work, which typically operate u...

The mechanism or transmission of forces across cracks whose faces are subjected to shear displacements are investigated. This mechanism is achieved by interaction of several components: axial and transverse stiffness (dowel action) of the reinforcement and direct transfer of force between the rough concrete crack faces, generally denoted by the term 'aggregate interlock'. Experimental research and the derivation of a theoretical model gave insight into the phenomenon. Tests were carried out on precracked shear specimens. Variables in the tests were the type of reinforcement (embedded reinforcing bars, external restraint bars), the concrete strength, the type of the concrete (sand gravel concrete, lightweight concrete), the grading of the concrete (continuous discontinuous), the scale of the concrete, and the initial crack width. Measurements were carried for determining the shear force, the crack displacements and, for the specimens with external reinforcement, the force in the restraining bars.

Full Text Available Total number and angular albedo were calculated for commonly used shielding materials, water, concrete, and iron, for photons with initial energies from 10 keV up to 10 MeV and normal incident angle. Influence of material thickness on total number albedo was also investigated. Double differential albedo was determined from simulation of photon transport through materials by using PENELOPE and MCNP software. Backscattered photons were scored and grouped in equal intervals of energy and angle. Analytical expressions for angular and total number albedo as a function of initial energy were obtained. It was shown that angular albedo can be determined with the same formula for three examined materials. Corresponding analytical expressions for number albedo as a function of material thickness were presented in this paper. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 171021

The use of sacrificial anodes consisting of sprayed zinc on the surface of concrete containing corroding reinforcing steel bars was examined in field tests and laboratory experiments. The anodes were sprayed directly onto the external surface of spalled regions of marine substructure elements. Electrical contact between the steel and zinc was achieved efficiently by spraying directly over exposed steel. Field tests were conducted in the Florida Keys and in Tampa Bay. The installations were performed economically and were functional as much as 5 y following placement. Protective current densities reaching 1 mA/ft{sup 2} (1 {micro}A/cm{sup 2}) of the reinforcing steel were achieved. Tests with reinforcing steel probes and with entire reinforcement assemblies showed steel polarization decays (upon temporary disconnection) typically exceeding 100 mV even after several years of service. Laboratory tests revealed concrete resistivity in the marine substructure conditions of interest did not represent a main limiting factor in performance of the galvanic anodes. However, absence of direct wetting of the anode surface could result in long-term loss of adequate current delivery, even when the concrete was in contact with air of 85% relative humidity (RH). Periodic water contact (by seawater mist, splash, or weather exposure) was considered a necessary factor for long-term anode performance. The method was considered a competitive alternative to impressed-current cathodic protection (CP) and a considerable improvement over simple gunite repair of corrosion-damaged substructure concrete.

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of experimental and theoretical investigations of the mechanisms of crack formation in reinforced concrete beams subjected to quasi-static bending. The boundary-value problem has been formulated in the framework of brittle fracture mechanics and solved using the finite-element method. Numerical simulation of the vibrations of an uncracked beam and a beam with cracks of different size serves to determine the pattern of changes in the spectrum of eigenfrequencies observed during crack evolution. A series of sequential quasi-static 4-point bend tests leading to the formation of cracks in a reinforced concrete beam were performed. At each loading step, the beam was subjected to an impulse load to induce vibrations. Two stages of cracking were detected. During the first stage the nonconservative process of deformation begins to develope, but has not visible signs. The second stage is an active cracking, which is marked by a sharp change in eingenfrequencies. The boundary of a transition from one stage to another is well registered. The vibration behavior was examined for the ordinary concrete beams and the beams strengthened with a carbon-fiber polymer. The obtained results show that the vibrodiagnostic approach is an effective tool for monitoring crack formation and assessing the quality of measures aimed at strengthening concrete structures

Full Text Available The production of waste by the tire industry has been a growing problem, indicating the need for its reuse. More than thirty million tires are discharged per year in Brazil, where regulation for the environment states that for each four new tires, five unusable ones must be adequately disposed by manufacturers and importers. Paving consumes an extremely large quantity of materials, which can be the source of rational application of waste and rejected materials. Research shows that tire rubber can be added to asphalt, which increases its durability and improves pavement quality and safety conditions by absorbing the rubber elastic properties, and also be used for architectural applications, among others. This study deals with the addition of rubber fibers from tire crushing inconcrete for roadway pavements in order to provide proper indication about the alternative material disposal through an evaluation of the mechanical behavior of the modified concrete. Different concrete mixes were produced, within which, part of fine aggregates were substituted by tire rubber and mechanical experiment tests were performed, which show that, due to great resistance losses, the disposal of this alternative material inconcrete should be considered for light traffic pavements, with the addition of rubber ranging up to 10% in mass.

Full Text Available The production of waste by the tire industry has been a growing problem, indicating the need for its reuse. More than thirty million tires are discharged per year in Brazil, where regulation for the environment states that for each four new tires, five unusable ones must be adequately disposed by manufacturers and importers. Paving consumes an extremely large quantity of materials, which can be the source of rational application of waste and rejected materials. Research shows that tire rubber can be added to asphalt, which increases its durability and improves pavement quality and safety conditions by absorbing the rubber elastic properties, and also be used for architectural applications, among others. This study deals with the addition of rubber fibers from tire crushing inconcrete for roadway pavements in order to provide proper indication about the alternative material disposal through an evaluation of the mechanical behavior of the modified concrete. Different concrete mixes were produced, within which, part of fine aggregates were substituted by tire rubber and mechanical experiment tests were performed, which show that, due to great resistance losses, the disposal of this alternative material inconcrete should be considered for light traffic pavements, with the addition of rubber ranging up to 10% in mass.

Full Text Available Presented is the analysis of the works at XIII Congress of International Federeation of pre­reinforced concrete construction (FIP. Scientific researches and technical solutions of reinforced concrete constructions realized in the developed countries have determined the main trends in perfection of concrete constructions in the next century (perfection of data on quality of constructive solutions of reinforcement with on-metallic fibrous materials, energy saving technologies of concrete production, development and investigation of perspective technical solutions

Full Text Available The evidence that the concrete is not a material for ever was noticed from the beginning of its industrial use. In the present work, the author describes the studies carried out during the last century and the early ages of the present one, mainly devoted to the study of the durability in sea water.
At the present days, and in spite of the numerous papers published from then, the study of the concrete durability continues focusing the research priorities and economical resources of researchers and industries related with this material. Moreover, the new laboratory techniques are allowing to understand old problems and even to open again the discussion on reaction mechanisms which were believed to be completely understood.
The article finalizes with a brief description of the numerous studies carried out at the Institute Eduardo Torroja on concrete durability, mainly those related with the resistance against gypsum attack (so abundant in our country land and against sea water attack.

Today bituminous concrete is a conventional paving material. Among its advantages one can name dustlessness and noiselessness, fine wear (up to 1 mm a year) and fine maintainability. As the main disadvantages of this material one can name high slipperiness under humidification, low durability and weather resistance. Besides that, during placement of the bituminous concrete a lot of different air pollutants are emitted, which are harmful for environment and human’s health (they are listed in t...

Reasons for size dependence of rotation capacity of plastic hinges are discussed. The increase of ductility with decreasing member size is interpreted from the viewpoint of fracture mechanics of concrete. The results of the introductory test series on simply supported slender beams loaded in three-p

Reasons for size dependence of rotation capacity of plastic hinges are discussed. The increase of ductility with decreasing member size is interpreted from the viewpoint of fracture mechanics of concrete. The results of the introductory test series on simply supported slender beams loaded in three-p

Rehabilitation and strengthening of concrete structures with externally bonded fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) has been a viable technique for at least a decade. An interesting and useful application is strengthening of slabs or walls where openings are introduced. In these situations, FRP sheet...

Recent field investigations on several new Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements (CRCP) in Belgium indicate that its crack pattern is characterized by low mean crack spacing along with a high percentage of clusters of closely spaced cracks. Field surveys also indicate that it is difficult to si

Recent field investigations on several new Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements (CRCP) in Belgium indicate that its crack pattern is characterized by low mean crack spacing along with a high percentage of clusters of closely spaced cracks. Field surveys also indicate that it is difficult to si

In representation-rich domains such as organic chemistry, students must be facile and accurate when translating between different 2D representations, such as diagrams. We hypothesized that translating between organic chemistry diagrams would be more accurate when concrete models were used because difficult mental processes could be augmented by…

Early childhood teachers around the country and the world guide children's mathematical learning through the use of manipulatives--pattern blocks, base blocks, geoboards, Unifx cubes, Cuisenaire rods, coins, clocks, and so on. Manipulatives allow concrete, hands-on exploration and representation of mathematical concepts. In the past few years,…

Full Text Available Optimum reinforced concrete structures design is very complex problem, not only considering exactness of calculus but also because of questionable applicability of existing methods in practice. This paper presents the main theoretical mathematical and physical features of the problem formulation as well as the review and analysis of existing methods and solutions considering their exactness and applicability.

Chloride induced corrosion of reinforcing steel is recognized as the most common deterioration mechanism affecting reinforced concrete structures. As such, it has been in focus of research for more than thirty years. Numerous studies of chloride ingress, corrosion initiation, and corrosion propagati

Recent field investigations on several new Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements (CRCP) in Belgium indicate that its crack pattern is characterized by low mean crack spacing along with a high percentage of clusters of closely spaced cracks. Field surveys also indicate that it is difficult to

Corrosion of steel reinforcement is the main cause of deterioration in reinforced concrete structures. After the repair, corrosion of the steel might continue and even accelerate. While the development of the corrosion cell depends on many parameters and is difficult to control, the occurrence of vi

In order to assess the bond behavior of deformed steel rebars in recycled-aggregate concrete (RAC) incorporating both fine and coarse recycled aggregate, pull-out tests were carried out in this study on 16-mm diameter deformed steel rebars embedded concentrically in RAC. The concrete was designed using equivalently mixed proportions of both recycled coarse aggregate and recycled fine aggregate. The tests employed five types of recycled aggregate replacement combinations and three types of rebar placement orientation (i.e., vertical bars and two-tiered and three-tiered horizontal bars). Based on the pull-out test results, the maximum bond strength tended to decrease and the slip at the maximum bond strength increased as the average water absorption of the aggregate increased, irrespective of the rebar orientation or placement location within the concrete member. The pull-out test results for the horizontal steel rebars embedded in RAC indicate that the casting position effect could be determined from the mid-depth of the concrete member, irrespective of the member's height. The normalized bond versus slip relationship between the deformed rebar and the RAC could be predicted using an empirical model based on regression analysis of the experimental data.

Full Text Available Pollution at gas stations due to small spills that occur during vehicle refueling have received little attention. We have performed laboratory experiments to assess evaporation and infiltration of fuel spilled onto concrete. Changes in the concrete mass after small amounts of diesel and gasoline were spilled have been analyzed. Variation in humidity, among other parameters, clearly affects the measured mass since condensed water is constantly added to or released from the concrete. This mass experiences an about exponential decay in time. The difference in behavior between both fuel types is important as the percentage of evaporated mass is much larger for gasoline, while infiltration is more significant for diesel. A statistical analysis suggests that the initial spill amount does not significantly affect the fraction of infiltrated fuel over time. This finding is in agreement with pore-scale simulations that we performed. A significant amount of fuel could be seeping into soil and groundwater underneath concrete pavement at gas stations or could be released to the atmosphere. Possible solutions for pavement and groundwater pollution are considered.

The ability of NaNO{sub 2} to counter the corrosive effect of chloride on reinforcements embedded in mortar mixed with artificial sea water was assessed. The risk of the inhibitor being leached under immersion conditions, which can compromise the duration of its protective effect, and the ability of nitrites to protect rusted steel surfaces were also evaluated. A search for alternative inhibitors of similar efficiency in protecting the steel/concrete system provided no satisfactory results.

Parameters that need to be fitted in High-Strength concrete mix proportion experiment and two equation models that are referenced in the experiment are discussed. The reasoning and implement of the corresponding linear fitting algorithm are demonstrated.Parmeter fitting is realized by value estimate method of mathematical statistics.This paper combines mathematical statisitics,linear equations and template thought together successfully and discussed an efficient parameter fitting method based on strength equation model and water consumption equation model.

The microbial communities associated with deteriorating concrete corrosion fronts were characterized in 35 samples taken from wastewater collection and treatment systems in ten utilities. Bacterial communities were described using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the V1V2 region of the small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (SSU-rRNA) gene recovered from fresh corrosion products. Headspace gas concentrations (hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and methane), pore water pH, moisture content, and select mineralogy were tested for correlation to community outcomes and corrosion extent using pairwise linear regressions and canonical correspondence analysis. Corroding concrete was most commonly characterized by moisture contents greater than 10%, pore water pH below one, and limited richness (100 ppm) and carbon dioxide (>1%) gases, conditions which also were associated with low diversity biofilms dominated by members of the acidophilic sulfur-oxidizer genus Acidithiobacillus.

This study examines the performance of traditional round dowels inconcrete floors and attempts to optimize the design of dowels through Finite Element (FE) analysis. A new type of Double-Tapered Round (DTR) dowels is proposed, and the performance of DTR dowels is compared to that of traditional cylindrical dowels. Linear Elastic (LE) analysis are performed in Abaqus (v-6.11) order to identify the optimized geometry of DTR dowels that would achieve (1) highest load transfer across adjacent slabs through shear action, and (2) lowest bearing stresses on the concrete. LE analyses are complemented by nonlinear FE analysis. The Riks method available in Abaqus/Standard, coupled with the Concrete Damaged Plasticity (CDP) model is used to simulate the degradation of concrete surrounding both DTR the traditional cylindrical dowels. Results obtained show that the use of DTR dowels can reduce bearing stresses at the face of the joint by as much 2.2 times as compared to traditional cylindrical dowels. While adequate load...

Full Text Available This paper presents the nanoindentation investigation of the evolution of concrete microstructure modified by the Internal Crystallization Technology mineral powders. The samples under study were retrieved from a fragment of a circular concrete lining of the vertical mine shaft at a depth of approximately 1,000 m. Due to the aggressive environment and exposure to contaminated water, the internal surface of the structure was deteriorated, decreasing its strength significantly. The mineral powders were applied directly on the surface lining. The specimens were investigated one month, three months and one year after the application of the aforementioned substance in order to verify the time dependence of the strengthening processes and durability of the crystalline phase. The microstructural changes of concrete were assessed with the use of nanoindentation technique. The testing procedure involved including the previously cut specimens in the epoxy resin and grinding and polishing in order to reduce the surface roughness. As a result of the nanoindentation tests the hardness as well as Young’s modulus of the material were evaluated. The results were then compared and statistically analyzed. As a consequence, the disintegration time of the crystalline network in the pores of concrete was identified.

We present and discuss data from petrographic observation at the optical microscope, electron microprobe analyses on selected glass shards, and trace-element analyses on 14 mortar aggregates collected at the ancient harbors and other maritime structures of Latium and Campania, spanning the third century BCE through the second CE, aimed at identify the volcanic products employed in the concretes and their area of exploitation. According to Latin author Vitruvius assertion about the ubiquitous use of Campanian pozzolan in the ancient Roman sea-waterconcretes, results of this study show a very selective and homogeneous choice in the material employed to produce the concretes for the different investigated maritime structures, evidencing three main pumice compositions, all corresponding to those of the products of the post-Neapolitan Yellow Tuff activity of the Phlegraean Fields, and a systematic use of the local Neapolitan Yellow Tuff to produce the coarse aggregate of these concretes. However, mixing with local products of the Colli Albani volcanic district, located 20 km east of Rome, has been evidenced at two fishponds of Latium, in Punta della Vipera and Torre Astura. Based on these petrographic and geochemical data, we conclude that the selective use of pozzolan from Campania, rather than of unproved different chemical properties, was the consequence of a series of logistic, economic, industrial and historical reasons.

Full Text Available Today bituminous concrete is a conventional paving material. Among its advantages one can name dustlessness and noiselessness, fine wear (up to 1 mm a year and fine maintainability. As the main disadvantages of this material one can name high slipperiness under humidification, low durability and weather resistance. Besides that, during placement of the bituminous concrete a lot of different air pollutants are emitted, which are harmful for environment and human’s health (they are listed in the paper according to the US Environmental Protection Agency materials. As an alternative, one can use cement-concrete pavement, which is in many ways more efficient than the bituminous concrete. It is proposed to enhance environmental performance of the cement-concrete pavement via usage of photocatalysis. The mechanism of different photocatalytic reactions is described in the paper, namely heterogeneous and homogeneous photocatalysis, photo-induces, photoactivated catalysis and catalytical photoreactions. It is pro-posed to use heterogeneous photocatalysis with titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst. The mechanism of photo oxidation of air contaminants, with the usage of titanium dioxide is2described. The paper sets problems, connected with the sensibilization of TiOto thevisible light (it is proposed to use titanium dioxide, doped with the atoms of certain elements to increase its sensibility to the visible light and with the development of a new photocatalytic paving concrete, which will meet the requirements, specified for paving in the climatic and traffic conditions of the Russian Federation.

in the corrosion resistance performance of concrete exposed to sea water. Maximum reduction in the corrosion rate was observed in the concrete mixed with 10% gold tailing together with 10% flyash. The corrosion rate and polarisation resistance of the control...

Septarian carbonate concretions contain carbonate precipitated during progressive growth of the concretion and subsequent fracture-filling. As such, they have been used to track variations in δ13C and δ18O of pore waters during diagenesis and to define diagenetic zones in clastic rocks. However, the δ18O value of the carbonate is dependent on precipitation temperature and the δ18O value of the pore fluid from which it precipitated. Interpretations must assume one of these parameters, both of which are highly variable through time in diagenetic settings. Carbonate clumped isotopes of the cement can provide independent estimates of temperature of precipitation, allowing the pore-water δ18O to be back-calculated. Here, we use this technique on carbonate concretions and fracture fills of the Upper Cretaceous Prairie Canyon Member, Mancos Shale, Colorado. We sampled concretions from two permeable horizons separated by a 5 m shale layer, with one permeable horizon containing concretions with septarian fractures. We show cores precipitated at cooler temperatures (31 °C, ˜660 m burial depth) than the rims (68 °C (˜1980 m burial depth) and relate that to the δ13Ccarbonate values to suggest the concretion core precipitated in the methanogenic zone, with increasing input from thermogenically produced CO2. The two concretion-bearing horizons have different back-calculated δ18Oporewater values (mean -2.65‰ and 1.13‰ VSMOW) for cements formed at the same temperature and similar δ13C values, suggesting the shale layer present between the two horizons acted as a barrier to fluid mixing. Additionally, the δ18Ocarbonate of the septarian fractures (-13.8‰ VPBD) are due to precipitation at high temperatures (102 to 115 °C) from a fluid with a mean δ18Oporewater of 0.32‰ (VSMOW). Therefore, we can tie in the cementation history of the formation to temporal and spatial variations in δ18Oporewater.

Full Text Available Transfer of tensile forces from reinforcing steel into the surrounding concrete affects the behavior of reinforced concrete members. This transfer relies on the bond action between the steel and the concrete. Under monotonic loading the part of bond strength due to chemical adhesion is easily exhausted and bearing against the lugs is the primary load-transfer mechanism at loads near the ultimate. These stresses cause internal cracking of concrete at the steel-concrete interface. This paper deals with the finite element modeling of the bond-slip and its application due to internal cracking of the first layer of concrete surrounding the bar and the bending and/ or cracking of the small concrete teeth near the bar lugs. A previously proposed constitutive steel stress-bond slip relation by Mirza and Houde (1979 was used in finite element analysis of reinforced concrete shear wall specimens and the results were presented.

Waste management is pressing very hard with alarming signals in construction industry. Concrete waste constituents major proportions of construction and demolition waste of 81% in Australia. To minimize concrete waste generated from construction activities, recycling concrete waste is one of the best methods to conserve the environment. This paper investigates concrete recycling implementation in construction. Japan is a leading country in recycling concrete waste, which has been implementing 98% recycling and using it for structural concrete applications. Hong Kong is developing concrete recycling programs for high-grade applications. Australia is making relatively slow progress in implementing concrete recycling in construction. Therefore, empirical studies in Australia, Hong Kong, and Japan were selected in this paper. A questionnaire survey and structured interviews were conducted. Power spectrum was used for analysis. It was found that "increasing overall business competitiveness and strategic business opportunities" was considered as the major benefit for concrete recycling from Hong Kong and Japanese respondents, while "rising concrete recycling awareness such as selecting suitable resources, techniques and training and compliance with regulations" was considered as the major benefit from Australian respondents. However, "lack of clients' support", "increase in management cost" and "increase in documentation workload, such as working documents, procedures and tools" were the major difficulties encountered from Australian, Hong Kong, and Japanese respondents, respectively. To improve the existing implementation, "inclusion of concrete recycling evaluation in tender appraisal" and "defining clear legal evaluation of concrete recycling" were major recommendations for Australian and Hong Kong, and Japanese respondents, respectively.

Due to the particularity of the surface of concrete tunnel lining and the diversity of detection environments such as uneven illumination, smudges, localized rock falls, water leakage, and the inherent seams of the lining structure, existing crack detection algorithms cannot detect real cracks accurately. This paper proposed an algorithm that combines lining seam elimination with the improved percolation detection algorithm based on grid cell analysis for surface crack detection inconcrete tunnel lining. First, check the characteristics of pixels within the overlapping grid to remove the background noise and generate the percolation seed map (PSM). Second, cracks are detected based on the PSM by the accelerated percolation algorithm so that the fracture unit areas can be scanned and connected. Finally, the real surface cracks inconcrete tunnel lining can be obtained by removing the lining seam and performing percolation denoising. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can accurately, quickly, and effectively detect the real surface cracks. Furthermore, it can fill the gap in the existing concrete tunnel lining surface crack detection by removing the lining seam.

Open Access funded by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council under a Creative Commons license. A robust finite element procedure for modelling the localised fracture of reinforced concrete beams at elevated temperatures is developed. In this model a reinforced concrete beam is represented as an assembly of 4-node quadrilateral plain concrete, 3-node main reinforcing steel bar, and 2-node bond-link elements. The concrete element is subdivided into layers for considering the temp...

Full Text Available Self healing phenomenon of concrete has been observed in traditional, fibrous, self compacting concrete. This phenomenon occurred mainly due to the presence of unhydrated cement particles in the presence of water. Mechanism of polymer inconcrete depends on creating a layer and net of polymer around cement particles which enhances the properties of polymer modified concrete. This mechanism may affect the self healing of this type of concrete. This work aims to study the presence of the self healing phenomenon in polymer modified concrete and the related parameters. An experimental investigation on self healing of polymer modified concrete was undertaken. In this research work, effect of polymer type, polymer dose, cement content, cement type, w/cm ratio and age of damage were studied. The healing process extended up to 60 days. Ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements were used to evaluate the healing process. Results indicated that, the self healing phenomenon existed in polymer modified concrete as in traditional concrete. The increase of polymer dose increases the healing degree at the same healing time. This increase depends on polymer type. Also, the decrease of w/cm ratio reduces the self healing degree while the use of Type V Portland cement improves the self healing process compared with Type I Portland cement. Cement content has an insignificant effect on healing process for both concrete with and without polymer. In addition, the increase of damage age decreases the efficiency of self healing process.

Full Text Available High-performance concrete (HPC is stronger and more durable than conventional concrete. However, shrinkage and shrinkage cracking are common phenomena in HPC, especially early-age cracking. This study assessed early-age cracking of HPC for two mixtures using restrained ring tests. The two mixtures were produced with water/binder mass ratio (mW/mB of 0.22 and 0.40, respectively. The results show that, with greater steel thickness, the higher degree of restraint resulted in a higher interface pressure and earlier cracking. With steel thickness of 6 mm, 19 mm, and 30 mm, the age of cracking were, respectively, 12 days, 8 days, and 5.4 days with the mW/mB = 0.22 mixture; and 22.5 days, 12.6 days, and 7.1 days with the mW/mB = 0.40 mixture. Cases of the same steel thickness show that the ring specimens with a thicker concrete wall crack later. With the mW/mB = 0.22 mixture, concrete walls with thicknesses of 37.5 mm, 75 mm, and 112.5 mm cracked at 3.4 days, 8.0 days, and 9.8 days, respectively; with the mW/mB = 0.40 mixture, the ages of cracking were 7.1 days, 12.6 days, and 16.0 days, respectively.

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to discuss the meaning of cumulative corrosion rate (iCCR of reinforced concretein a tropical marine microclimate of the Yucatan Peninsula identifying four stages that correspond to passivation, beginning of depassivation, breakdown and formation of subsequent corrosion layers, and nucleation and development of cracks. Sixty Portland cement concrete cylinders were exposed in a tropical marine environment at 50 m from the seashore. One-half of the samples had a reinforcing bar embedded at the center of the sample (corrosion measurements and the other half was made with plain concrete (chloride measurements. Five water/cement (w/c ratios and three times of curing (CT were tested representing the common practices of this region. The corrosion rate was monitored using the linear polarization resistance technique (Rp which enables calculating the apparent and cumulative corrosion rate. Representative results indicated that iCCR was effective not only to detect the beginning and duration of the reported stages but also to find the right influence of CT and w/c ratios on the corrosion performance of reinforced concrete.

Marine concrete structures are exposed to one of the most hostile of natural environments. Many physical and chemical phenomena are usually interdependent and mutually reinforcing in the deterioration of marine exposed concrete: expansion and microcracking due to physical effects increases concrete

The predicting method of local damage in reinforced concrete plate with absorber sandwiched between two concrete panels (double-layered RC plate) under the impact of hard projectile is studied in this paper. The results of high-velocity impact tests to investigate the impact resistance of double-layered RC plates are reported. To evaluate quantitatively the extent of local damage, the existing formulae and the alternative predicting formulae with the multivariate analysis presented here are employed. The prediction of the proposed formulae can agree reasonably well with the actual observed damage, thus can be a useful method in impact resistant design. (author).

COIN Project: Towards a zero-waste technology for concrete aggregate production in Norway Rolands Cepuritis, Norcem/NTNU and Svein Willy Danielsen, SINTEF Aggregate production is a mining operation where no purification of the "ore" is necessary. Still it is extremely rare that an aggregate production plant is operating on the basis of zero-waste concept. This is since historically the fine crushed aggregate (particles with a size of less than 2, 4 or sometimes 8 mm) has been regarded as a by-product or waste of the more valuable coarse aggregate production. The reason is that the crushed coarse aggregates can easily replace coarse rounded natural stones in almost any concrete composition; while, the situation with the sand is different. The production of coarse aggregate normally yields fine fractions with rough surface texture, flaky or elongated particles an inadequate gradation. When such a material replaces smooth and rounded natural sand grains in a concrete mix, the result is usually poor and much more water and cement has to be used to achieve adequate concrete flow. The consequences are huge stockpiles of the crushed fine fractions that can't be sold (mass balance problems) for the aggregate producers, sustainability problems for the whole industry and environmental issues for society due to dumping and storing of the fine co-generated material. There have been attempts of utilising the material inconcrete before; however, they have mostly ended up in failure. There have been attempts to adjust the crushed sand to the properties of the natural sand, which would still give a lot of waste, especially if the grading would have to be adjusted and the high amounts of fines abundantly present in the crushed sand would have to be removed. Another fundamental reason for failure has been that historically such attempts have mainly ended up in a research carried out by people (both industrial and academic) with aggregate background (= parties willing to find market

The scope of magnesium oxychloride (MOC) cement inconcrete works has been evaluated. MOC cement concrete compositions of varying strengths having good placing and finishing characteristics were prepared and investigated for their compressive and flexural strengths, -values, abrasion resistance etc. The durability of MOC concrete compositions against extreme environmental conditions viz. heating–cooling, freezing–thawing, wetting–drying and penetration and deposition of salts etc were investigated. The results reveal that MOC concrete has high compressive strength associated with high flexural strength and the ratio of compressive to flexural strength varies between 6 and 8. The elastic moduli of the compositions studied are found to be 23–85 GPa and the abrasion losses between 0.11 and 0.20%. While alternate heating–cooling cycles have no adverse effect on MOC concrete, it can be made durable against freezing–thawing and the excessive exposure to water and salt attack by replacing 10% magnesium chloride solution by magnesium sulphate solution of the same concentration.

The subject of this study was the performance of hydrophobic treatment to protect concrete against chloride penetration from de-icing salts. Hydrophobic treatment makes a concrete surface absorb less water and less chloride. Test methods and requirements for commercial products were established. In

The practice of incorporating certain waste products into highway construction and repair materials (CRMs) has become more popular. These practices have prompted the National Academy of Science, National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) to research the possible impacts of these CRMs on the quality of surface and ground waters. State department of transportations (DOTs) are currently experimenting with use of ground tire rubber ( crumb rubber) in bituminous construction and as a crack sealer. Crumb rubber asphalt concrete (CR-AC) leachates contain a mixture of organic and metallic contaminants. Benzothiazole and 2(3H)-benzothiazolone (organic compounds used in tire rubber manufacturing) and the metals mercury and aluminum were leached in potentially harmful concentrations (exceeding toxic concentrations for aquatic toxicity tests). CR-AC leachate exhibited moderate to high toxicity for algae ( Selenastrum capriconutum) and moderate toxicity for water fleas ( Daphnia magna). Benzothiazole was readily removed from CR-AC leachate by the environmental processes of soil sorption, volatilization, and biodegradation. Metals, which do not volatilize or photochemically or biologically degrade, were removed from the leachate by soil sorption. Contaminants from CR-AC leachates are thus degraded or retarded in their transport through nearby soils and ground waters.